


Melanie Sullivan and the Potter's Summer Invitation

by themightymishy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Because of Reasons, Developing Friendships, F/M, Gen, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Romantic Fluff, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, lots of friendship nuggets, they're just dumb teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 49,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24657148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themightymishy/pseuds/themightymishy
Summary: Melanie Sullivan, a confident and fiercely independent Slytherin, is best friends with her exact opposite: shy, kind-hearted Albus Potter from Gryffindor. When his dad extends an invitation for her to spend the summer at the Potter's Cottage, she is unsure whether she's been granted her worst nightmare, or her greatest wish.
Relationships: Albus Severus Potter/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Rolf Scamander, canon-compliant relationships are in the background
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	1. An Affirmation

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! It's my first time posting on here, so any and all feedback are appreciated.
> 
> If you're looking for light-hearted, daily slice of life fun featuring the next generation of the Harry Potter kids, you're at the right place. Canon-compliant from the main series, and I'm pretending The Cursed Child does not exist. The main character is an original, but nearly everyone else is from the Harry Potter universe.
> 
> There will eventually be a plot of sorts, but most of it is dumb shenanigans/conversations/slow burn. Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie and Albus meet up on the Gryffindor tower to hang out, like they always do.

She sat on the ledge, her feet dangling hundreds of feet above the grounds. It was a beautiful night, perfect for stargazing or flying—or just thinking.

The Slytherin Common Room often felt a little suffocating: the gloominess of the lake, the echoes of the dungeon reverberating around the walls. The presence of aristocratic, try-hard hormonal wizards and witches as her roommates added to the crowded feeling. (Though, she mused to herself, it could’ve been worse. She could’ve been stuck with pompous Gryffindors or know-it-all Ravenclaws). Escaping to the Gryffindor tower was a welcome respite, though she didn't come here just to think.

The echo of footsteps grew louder, causing her to smile. Only a handful of people could ascent the Gryffindor tower stairs so loudly, and only one of them would come up here, in the middle of the night.

“Isn’t it a bit late to be out of bed, Al?” she teased, not turning around.

“You’re one to talk—you’re standing on enemy territory right now.” A soft, boyish voice laughed.

“Ooo, I’m scared.”

Albus laughed at her sarcastic tone. “Didn’t realize you thought so highly of us.”

She turned around to look at him, smirking. Her long, black hair blended in with the night, yet her brown eyes shone brightly. She jumped off the ledge gracefully and landed on the Gryffindor tower rooftop, next to her broom.

“Albus Severus Potter." She snickered. “Sneaking out of the dormitory to meet up with a Slytherin.”

Albus snorted. “I may not be a troublemaker like James, but I’m no wimp. What about you? Melanie Sullivan, the mysterious, aloof Slytherin, hanging out with a Potter on the Gryffindor tower.”

He was taller than Melanie, but still short for his age. Albus’s resemblance to his father was uncanny: his dark, unkempt hair, the green eyes. Yet his face bore no lightning scar or round glasses. And just by looking at his face, one could tell he was well cared for by his family. Melanie did not share the same trait.

“Mysterious and aloof. I like that.” Melanie smiled. “Better than the orphan Slytherin.”

Albus winced. “Why do you react every time I say that?” she asked, amused.

He looked away. “You’ll think it’s a stupid reason.”

“Well, now you have to tell me.”

“I can’t explain it. How much the thought of being without parents scares me.” Albus took a deep breath. “I don’t know how you handle it.”

Melanie softened at her friend’s empathy. Albus was one of the kindest, good-hearted people she had ever met. Anything that hurt his friends hurt him as well.

“You get used to it.” She said honestly. “It’s not so bad, not knowing.”

“But don’t you want to know who your parents are?”

She shrugged. “Not really. For all I know, they could’ve been bad people.”

“I don’t think so.” Albus said slowly. “Not if they’re like you.”

She sucked in a breath at the unexpected compliment. “Albus, I’m not a good person. Not like you.”

“Mel, just because you’re a Slytherin doesn’t inherently make you bad.”

Melanie blinked. “That’s the most un-Gryffindor statement I’ve ever heard you say.”

Albus gave a small smile. “Honestly, I feel the least Gryffindor out of everyone in my family.”

She considered his statement. He was quieter than most people, always trying to hide on the sidelines. Melanie had thought he was stuck up, but after talking to him during potions (when they were alphabetically seated next to each other), she discovered that he was a kind, soft spoken boy who chose his words with care. Their friendship was a secret; not by his request, but by hers. She didn’t want Albus’s reputation darkened by any association with a Slytherin, even though he didn’t care. They had fallen into a pattern of late-night hangouts in various places.

Melanie had always thought Albus was a good, happy person, quite unlike her. She was a bit crazy, with a rebellious spirit and a hard attitude. She fit well with the Slytherins, but not with anyone else, save Albus.

“Least Gryffindor?” She prompted.

Albus laughed without humor. “Everyone in my family is brave and famous. My parents, the heroes of the Wizarding world. James, the coolest troublemaker in school. Lily, the star Quidditch player. And then there’s me. I know everyone thinks I’m different.” He shifted his gaze away from Melanie. “But I don’t think they ever mean that as a compliment.”

Albus had never seemed to care about his fame, his image, never hinted at the social pressures he faced. Judging by his guarded expression, he hadn’t shared these thoughts with anyone else. Melanie felt a little lost, but also honored to be the recipient.

“I may not be the best person to consult.” she admitted, feeling like an awful friend. How many times had Albus calmed her down when she was in one of her impassioned rages? Now that the roles were switched, she didn’t know where to start.

Albus shrugged. “I don’t think other people would understand, if I told them.”

“What’s so different about me?”

He finally met Melanie’s gaze. “You know me better than anyone else.”

Melanie staggered back, her mind spinning. She knew he was close with everyone in his family, especially with his parents. The love he had for them was astonishing, and he was unafraid to admit it. Yet, he thought that _she_ knew him best.

“That reminds me.” Albus switched topics, in a tone too casual to be unmediated. “My entire family knows. That we’re friends.”

Melanie’s eyes widened. He’d previously mentioned revealing their friendship to his family, but she hadn’t expected him to go through with it. “You told them? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it was only a few days ago?”

Melanie rolled her eyes. “How did they take it?”

A twinkle glimmered in Albus’s eyes. “Take a guess.”

“Let’s see—threats of disownment?”

He shook his head, grinning. “Worse. They were pleased.”

“What!”

Albus laughed at her horrified reaction. “Well, mum wasn’t at first, but dad helped turn her around. They’re just glad I’m talking to other people besides my family.”

Melanie shook her head. “What about James? And Lily?”

“Also pretty good. I told James that you were the mastermind of the chocolate incident. You’ve earned his respect.”

She smirked. The chocolate incident was a memorable prank, involving flooding the Great Hall in chocolate syrup. But the best part was that James and his buddies were blamed for the crime. No one had any idea that it was actually the work of Albus and her.

“As for Lily, she thinks _I’m_ crazy, but she has nothing against you, especially after she found out you were a foster kid.” Albus finished.

Melanie snorted. “Great. I have the sympathy of a twelve-year-old.”

“Thirteen. Her birthday was last week.”

“Oh, Merlin. Gryffindors with hormones are bloody scary.”

Albus bit his lip, trying to contain his laughter, but his eyes gave him away. Melanie remembered how he used to abhor cuss words. It was comforting to know he was getting used to them.

“Well, I’m glad your family didn’t throw you out of the window, or something.” Part of her was a bit disappointed at their reactions. Was she losing her edge?

Albus seemed to read her mind. “You would be upset about not being scary enough.”

Melanie glared at him. “I’ve got a reputation to uphold. How else will I keep other people away? That’s the trademark Slytherin quality.”

Albus stared at her for a moment. Then he burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

“Why are you laughing?” Melanie asked, feeling slightly offended.

He smiled, wiping his eyes. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re the least scary Slytherin I’ve ever met.”

Melanie blinked. “You take that back.”

“I mean, you have all of the good qualities of a Slytherin, but none of the bad.” Albus explained, smiling at Melanie’s reaction. “You’re cunning and fierce, but you have the biggest heart. A lot of your classmates always come across as uncaring.”

Melanie couldn’t disagree with him. It was hard being a former foster kid in a house with a history of elitism, even though the current generation of Slytherins were challenging that notion. Yet she still often felt left out, particularly among the small number Slytherins with strong family ties. They were always preoccupied with their own ambition, at the cost of caring about others.

“Unfortunately, those Slytherins give our house a bad rep.” Melanie sighed.

“But it doesn’t matter.” Albus countered, “because there’s Slytherin’s like you. You showed me that people aren’t defined by their House’s history.” His face softened. “And I thought, maybe… maybe people aren’t determined by their family, either.”

A teasing remark died in Melanie’s mouth. “I don’t like you because you’re a Potter.” She said honestly. “I like you because you’re Albus.”

He didn’t respond. Melanie, feeling awkward, turned around to face the edge of the tower.

“Mel?”

She turned around, startled at his intense expression. His eyes were wide, full of a flood of emotion that Melanie was unsure how to react to.

“Yeah?”

“You’re my best friend, you know.”

She stared at him, and he stared back. There was no embarrassment on Albus’s face—she would’ve been disappointed if there had been. But Melanie had never seen Albus look at her with so much force.

For the first time in her life, Melanie found herself speechless.

The night fell into an uncomfortable silence. Albus startled to redden and turned away.

“Wait.” Melanie reached out and grabbed his hand.

Suddenly, the night felt rather hot and crowded.

“You’re my best friend, too.” she whispered, squeezing Albus’s hand. Her face grew warm. “Wow. I can’t believe I just admitted that to a Potter.”

Albus laughed and squeezed her hand back. ‘Gee, thanks for the amazing compliment.”

Melanie smiled, and he smiled back. They both looked out at the grounds of Hogwarts, feeling a peacefulness neither of them had felt before.


	2. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie receives the invitation from Albus. Now she can't stop worrying about the whole ordeal.

“They WHAT?!” Melanie gasped, full of shock. Her voice cut through the still night air, echoing across the grounds of Hogwarts.

“Shhh! Do you want to wake up the entire Gryffindor Tower?” Albus hissed. He stood a few feet from her, startled by her outburst.

Melanie’s eyes gleamed at the possibility. Albus groaned. “Of course you’d like nothing better than to duel a couple of Gryffindors.”

“Hey, some of them are just as bad as Slytherins.” she pointed out defensively. “And your house is always first to pick a fight. Us Slytherins choose our battles.”

He nodded in agreement. “You’re not wrong. There’s a reason Gryffindor hasn’t won the House Cup for a long while, all of us keep getting detention.”

It was always reassuring to know that Albus was on board with making fun of his own house. Melanie hadn’t expected this character trait from a Potter, but she was nevertheless grateful for his humility. Their friendship had only grown stronger because of their openness, but even so, the news he’d just shared with her was still daunting.

“But yeah, they mean it, my parents. They invited you to stay at our house for the summer.” His repeated, more nervously this time.

Melanie’s mind was spinning. A summer at the Potters? She couldn’t begin to imagine how that would go. Living a cushy lifestyle, playing games outside in the fields, rooming with one of the most famous families in all of the wizarding community--it was a terrifying thought.

‘But why?” She asked, her mind focusing on that train of thought. “Why would they want me there?”

Albus shrugged. “A number of reasons. I overheard my parents talking one night during Christmas break.”

“Ooo, what a rebel.” Melanie teased. Albus smiled.

“It’s partially the fact that you’re a foster kid. My dad especially has a soft spot for you, and thought you might lik—er, a change in scenery.”

Melanie blinked. She had quite honestly forgotten that the famed Harry Potter spent most of his childhood as an unwanted orphan.

“And partially?” Melanie prompted, waiting for his reply.

Albus turned his gaze away, staring at the Greenhouses far below them. “I don’t know. They didn’t say.”

He was lying; it was painfully obvious. But she held her tongue, not wanting to embarrass him.

“So, it’s for the entire summer?” Melanie asked, filling the awkward silence.

Albus jumped on the change of topic gratefully. “Yeah, we’ve got a spare bedroom now that we got rid of that pesky ghoul. You’d like it, it’s nice and high, and there’s a big window that lets in fresh air.”

Melanie smiled. He knew her well, the room sounded delightful. But there were other concerns. “What about James and Lily?” she asked. “How would they feel about it, rooming with a Slytherin?”

Albus smiled faintly. “They don’t think like that. None of us do. Dad taught us not to hold those kinds of prejudices against anyone, wizarding or muggle”.

Damn. It was really hard to dislike the Potters. James, Albus, and Lily were among the most popular kids at Hogwarts—not because they came from a well-known family, but because they were genuinely likable in their own way. James was the suave jock who pulled the most outrageous pranks and notably charming with the ladies. Lily, at the age of thirteen, had already wowed everyone at Hogwarts with her Quidditch talent, her pretty looks, and her vivacious energy. And although Albus was regarded as a wallflower, peers liked his humble attitude and respected his work ethic.

Of course, a good number of Slytherins hated the Potters by principle. In her first years at Hogwarts, Melanie had followed their judgements blindly, but her views changed upon meeting Albus. She’d met James a few times, and they had mutual respect for each other’s troublemaking streaks. On the Quidditch field, she had to admit that Lily was talented, scoring the majority of points for the Gryffindor team.

But to live an entire summer with them?

“They’re cool with it.” Albus said. “Everyone in my family, that is. It’s really up to you.”

Melanie stared at the ground, trying to conceal her emotion. In truth, she was elated that Albus was offering this; it was far better than going back to her foster home for the summer. And to spend it with Albus, of all people?

No! She swallowed her feelings down. They confused her more than the Divination teacher’s ramblings. Melanie refused to let herself even consider those feelings.

Albus looked at her nervously, his hands fidgeting with the sleeve of his robe. “You’ve got some time to think about it. My parents can get it sorted with your foster home, so they don’t think you ran away or something. And you don’t have to stay the entire summer. They’d let you go whenever you wanted.”

“Let me go? You make it sound like I’m a prisoner!” Melanie teased, grinning.

Albus’s face remained serious. “You know what I mean. They wouldn’t want you to feel awkward.”

Melanie couldn’t imagine how the whole situation wouldn’t be awkward, but she kept that to herself. “I’ll think about it. Tonight. I’ll get back to you tomorrow. It’s just a lot to process.”

Albus nodded. “Yeah. Uh, no problem.”

They both heard a shrill meow behind them. To their horror, a scrawny cat with glowing yellow eyes emerged from behind the tower door, hissing upon seeing the pair.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Albus groaned. “I even locked the door this time!” In a flash, the eyes disappeared into the darkness.

“And that’s my cue to leave.” Melanie ran to the edge of the tower and grabbed her school-issued Nimbus. It was only a matter of minutes before the caretaker would show up. “See you tomorrow!”

“Bye, Mel!” Albus waved as Melanie whisked away into the night. He took a deep breath, then made his way back to his dormitory.

* * *

“So I hear you’re heading off to the Potters?” Lorcan asked Melanie during their last Great Hall breakfast of the year before everyone headed home for the summer.

It had been a week since Melanie had given her answer to Albus, but she still wasn’t comfortable talking about it with others. “Does everyone know? Since when are first years privy to upperclassmen gossip?”

Lorcan snorted. “You’re middle class. Fourth years aren’t big enough to pick on the younger kids.”

“Every year is big enough to pick on first years.”

“Not for long!” Lorcan squirted blue syrup on his pancakes until they were drowning. “One more day and I’m a second year.”

“Ooo, I’m scared.” Melanie teased.

Lorcan grinned. “Don’t change the subject. Are you really staying with the Potters for the summer?”

Melanie sighed. “Yes, but please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t, I promise! If it makes you feel better, not many people know. I just overheard Professor Longbottom tell Hagrid.” Lorcan proceeded to cover his pancakes with a suspicious looking powder, topped with a pile of gurdyroots. “Lysander already knows. Sorry.”

Out of all of the students at Hogwarts, the Scamander twins were low on her befriend list, but like Albus, they surprised her. They were both rather strange in their habits, yet remarkably down to earth, thus most everyone liked them. After Lorcan noticed how often Melanie sat alone during most meals, he and his brother made it a habit to sit with her for breakfast. She liked Lysander, who was currently in detention with Filch (“A day before school gets out?” “He’s still doing time for that quill fiasco”), but she was closer to Lorcan. She was one of the few people at Hogwarts he’d come out to, and he knew a lot about her friendship with Albus.

“That’s fine if he know, but I don’t want anyone else to find out.” Melanie said.

“Why not?” Lorcan frowned. “People know you and Albus are together. You might as well make it official.”

Melanie raised an eyebrow. “You make it sound like we’re dating.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No! We’re just friends. Please tell me no one else thinks we’re dating.”

“Slytherins and Gryffindors aren’t usually just friends. Only Hufflepuffs are friends with every house.” Lorcan said proudly.

“And Ravenclaws?”

“They aren’t friends with anyone.” Lorcan said matter-of-factly, his mouth stuffed with the strange pancake concoction.

“Spoken like a true non-Ravenclaw.” Melanie approved.

“But seriously. The only reason a Slytherin and Gryffindor are together is if they’re dating. Especially if they don’t want anyone to know.” Lorcan looked pointedly at Melanie.

“It’s not like that.” Melanie said. “You know why I don’t want the school to know we’re friends.”

Lorcan gave her a knowing look. “I know, but does he know?”

“Lorcan!”

“What? He’s been looking over at us a lot today. Albus is cute and all, but I don’t think he’s attracted to guys.” HE nodded his head towards the other side of the Great Hall. “Turn around and see for yourself. I think you two would make a really cute couple.”

Melanie sighed. “I can’t believe a first year is giving me love advice.”

Lorcan wiped his face with a napkin, staining it bright blue. “But in all seriousness, I don’t see why you and Albus can’t be friends publicly. Everyone in Gryffindor House already knows, and I’m sure it’ll spread around the other houses soon. His siblings aren’t exactly quiet.”

Melanie gestured around the hall. “Lorcan, there’s a reason why Gryffindors and Slytherins don’t sit together during meals? The last thing we need is another vendetta between the houses.”

“You think one friendship is going to be that bad?”

“With a Potter? Yes. Slytherins hate the Potters. And I don’t want them to hurt Albus. Or James and Lily for that matter.”

Lorcan blinked. “Huh. Girls see all of the complications in friendships. Guys just hang out with cool people.”

“You think I’m cool?” Melanie teased.

“Mostly. I just wonder why you never talk to anyone.” Lorcan replied. “You’d make friends easily.”

Melanie shook her head. “If anyone makes friends easily, it’s you.”

The morning owls came in a flurry, filling the Great Hall with commotion as everyone scrambled to grab last-minute letters from family. A tawny brown owl with two letters landed next to Lorcan, followed by a beautiful snowy owl.

“That’s a lot of letters,” Melanie commented.

“Only one’s for me. The other letter is for Ly.” Lorcan glanced at the snowy owl. “I think that’s for you.”

Melanie’s eyes widened. Sure enough, the letter carried by the snowy owl was addressed to her, written in neat but hurried handwriting. “Huh. No one usually sends me anything.” She unwrapped the letter from the owl’s leg and patted his head. The snowy owl cooed softly, then flew away.

“Who’s it from?” Lorcan asked as Melanie opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. She stayed silent as she skimmed the contents, her eyes blurring.

Suddenly, Melanie burst out laughing. “I don’t believe this! Harry Potter has written me a letter!”

“Ooo, I wonder how much that letter would sell for when he dies.” Lorcan wondered.

Melanie rolled her eyes. “It’s not terribly interesting.”

“What’s it say?”

“Just a little ditty about how excited they are to have me, and that Teddy Lupin will pick us up from the platform. He also wants to talk to me after supper tonight.” Melanie winced. “That can’t be good.”

Lorcan grinned. “Doesn’t the guy usually talk to the girl’s father, not vice versa?”

Melanie squirted syrup towards Lorcan, hitting him squarely on the face. Laughing, Lorcan flung the strange powder towards her, which puffed around her like a giant cloud.

“Aren’t guys not supposed to hit girls?” Melanie teased.

“I didn’t hit you, the powdered Chinese Chomping Cabbage did!” Lorcan protested.

Melanie wrinkled her nose. “And you put that on your pancakes?”

“Irrelevant! Besides, you started it!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

They stared at each other—one sticky, one powdered—and burst out laughing.

“I’m going to miss our breakfasts.” Lorcan said afterwards, grinning madly. “Definitely a fun part of the day.”

Melanie gave a soft smile. “Me, too.”

* * *

“Ready?” Albus asked, his suitcase and pygmy owl in tow. He was seated on the carriage ready to take them to the Hogwarts Express. To Melanie’s surprise, Lily and James were also on the carriage, waving at her.

She glanced down at her own shabby trunk. It was hard not comparing herself to the Potters, all handsome and looking smart in their nice Muggle clothes, while she wore unflattering hand-me-downs. But what were they all doing on the same carriage?

“Surprise!” Lily exclaimed as Melanie climbed into the carriage, “We thought it’d be fun to spend some time together before we’re home! All I’ve ever heard about you is from Al, who isn’t good at describing people at all—”

“Need any help with that?” James nodded at her trunk.

“I’m good.” Melanie hauled the trunk into the carriage herself. Once it was secure, the carriage began moving on its own.

“So,” Albus said after a pause, “these are my siblings. James, Lily, this is Melanie.”

“You’ll be our surrogate sister for the summer!” Lily grinned.

“Not without a proper initiation ceremony.” James smirked. “It’s not that easy being a Potter.”

Albus groaned. “You’re both being ridiculous.”

“Oh, I want to know what this initiation ceremony entails.” Melanie interrupted, intrigued.

James grinned. “It’s a series of challenges involving hidden passageways, critical thinking, and good balance. Lily says you’re pretty good with a broom.”

Lily laughed. “James didn’t attend the game against Slytherin, he was too busy snogging—”

“How do you even know about that?” James asked, alarmed.

Albus smiled sheepishly. “Guilty.”

James rounded on his little brother. “How do you know about that?”

“Uh.” Albus flustered. “Just. Around.” He tried his hardest not to glance at Melanie, who was keeping a straight face.

“What do you mean by hidden passageways?” she asked, steering to a new topic.

James smirking. “You’ll see. I have a feeling you’ll like the challenge.”

“Seeing as you and Albus are always sneaking around Gryffindor tower.” Lily added.

Albus’s face grew even redder, along with Melanie’s.

“Don’t worry. Albus hasn’t told us anything else.” James said, with a pointed look at Albus.

The carriage suddenly stopped, lurching all of them forward. The Hogwarts Express was right in front of them, with many students loading and saying goodbye to friends. Not too far away, they all saw a familiar figure.

“Hagrid!” All three Potters exclaimed.

“If it isn’ a fer of me favorite studen’s!” Hagrid boomed, beaming.

Lily leaped out and gave Hagrid a big hug, James and Albus close behind. Melanie lingered in the carriage awkwardly.

“That includes you, Miss Sullivan.” Hagrid insisted as he helped unload the carriage. He easily scooped up Melanie’s trunk and placed it on the ground.

“Hi, Hagrid.” Melanie said shyly as she leapt down from the carriage.

“Reckon I’ll see yeh ‘round this summer, eh?” Hagrid said happily. “I always make sure ter see the Potters a few times during break.”

Melanie brightened at the though. Hagrid was a bit strange, but he was nothing but kind to her, even before she was friends with Albus. When she’d first arrived at Hogwarts, he’d made her ride with him across the lake to Hogwarts. She’d mainly sat in silence as he went on about random things in Hogwarts and offered her to visit for a cup of tea. A few weeks later, she decided to take his offer and trekked down to his hut, one of many afternoons spent in the cozy place.

“What else will you be doing this summer?” Albus asked.

“I’ve got my plans.” Hagrid said rather quickly. “Always new creatures fer me ter find.”

“Like what?” asked Lily.

Hagrid frowned. “Never yer mind! Yer Potters, always sticking yer noses inter other people’s business.”

Lily pouted. “I was only asking.”

The train whistle pierced through the air, signalling its departure.

“Come on!” said James, running towards the train, Albus and Lily right on his heels. Melanie grabbed her trunk and made her way towards the train.

“Don’ yer dare!” Hagrid cried out, grabbing Melanie and pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.

“Hagrid!” Melanie squirmed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d ever gotten a hug. She eschewed physical touch on principle, but it seemed as if Hagrid had made himself an exception.

“Heh, always mean’ ter do that.” Hagrid set Melanie down, leaving her gasping for breath. “Now, go have fun at the Potters!”

“Come on, Melanie!” Albus called.

Melanie made her way to the train, leaping on just as the train began moving. She joined the Potters in waving goodbye to Hagrid as Hogwarts disappeared from their sight. Melanie usually felt depressed after leaving, but this time around, she felt only excitement.

As James and Lily went off to look for an empty car, Melanie and Albus lingered behind. She was already aware of the stares they were getting from other students.

“Al, be honest—why are James and Lily with us instead of their own friends?”

Albus sighed. “Dad asked them to stick with you on the way back. He wrote letters to all of us today. Neither of them mind though, they’re excited to have you around.”

“Found one!” James cried out, opening the door to an empty car. “Everyone pile in!”

They settled into the car, James and Lily sitting across from Albus and Melanie. Within five minutes, a game of Gobstones had arisen between James and Melanie, with Albus helping out Melanie because James was uncannily good at the game. Lily provided good commentary while shielding her eyes, as these Gobstones weren’t particularly good at aiming.

“Alright, time for the heavy questions.” James said half an hour later, with a much heavier bag of marbles.

Melanie frowned. “I’d much rather lose at another round of Gobstones.”

“Rule number one of living with James Potter,” James recited proudly, “I am the champion of Gobstones.”

Albus and Lily rolled their eyes. “Just once, I want someone to beat him and deflate his ego” Albus elaborated.

“But really, Melanie,” James asked seriously, “tell us about yourself. Start from the beginning.”

The room suddenly felt uncomfortably hot to Melanie. She looked away from their expectant faces, thinking of a response.

“The beginning?” she asked lamely.

“Like a life story.” James explained. “Where did you come from? What do you want to do in the future? And how did you and Albus meet?”

“James,” Albus said softly, glancing worriedly at Melanie.

Her mind was racing. How could she answer without sounding like a sob story? Albus had warned her about James’s bluntness, but she hadn’t prepared to reveal her past during the train ride home. It had taken months to trust Albus with her life story; how could she undo years of secrecy to people she’d just met?

Yet there was something about the Potters that threw her off. She could tell James and Lily really cared about Albus, and their protectiveness was endearing. They didn’t carry the same prejudices as the rest of the Wizarding World. They just wanted to learn more about her as a person.

Up until this year, she’d almost always been treated either as an orphan or a Slytherin. Both created severe prejudices. Melanie simply didn’t know how to operate without them.

“Melanie?” Lily asked softly. The Potters hadn’t spoken for a minute, waiting for Melanie’s reply.

She snapped back into reality. She couldn’t tell them everything, but she could start at the beginning.

“I don’t know where I came from.” Melanie chose her words carefully. “My parents died when I was four, and I’ve been in the foster care system ever since.”

Lily and James winced at her tone. “Sorry,” Melanie laughed shakily, “that sounded a lot worse than I meant it to.”

“I’m so sorry about your parents.” Lily’s eyes watered.

Melanie felt uncomfortable with the display of emotion. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago.”

“Er, I don’t mean to pry, and I understand if you don’t want to tell, but why did you end up in foster care” James asked. “Instead of living with relatives?”

This question wasn’t so bad. “Apparently my extended family had legally severed any connection with my parents. There must’ve been an argument or something. None of the authorities have ever found a Sullivan relation of mine.”

“Merlin.” James breathed. “Do you know if your parents were wizards and witches?”

Melanie shook her head. “What were their names?” Lily asked.

No one had ever asked her that before. Melanie hesitated a bit before answering. “Jane and Colin Sullivan.”

The car grew awkwardly silent as everyone processed their own thoughts. Eventually, Lily chirped through the thick air. “How did you and Albus meet?”

Melanie was grateful for the change, even if it was towards an equally awkward subject. “First-year potions class.”

Lily pouted. “That’s what Albus said.”

“Lily,” Albus said, exasperated, “of course we said the same thing. Why would we lie about where we met?”

“I didn’t ask where, I asked how.” Lily specified. “Gimme the details! Who spoke first? Were you guys friends from the start, or was there some crazy awkward drama?”

James snorted. “Lily, not all friendships are as weird as you and your other teenage girl friends. You guys do some strange things.”

“Says Mr. Snogs-a-new-girl every week!”

“Not every week, it’s more like a month. Three weeks, tops.”

“That shouldn’t be a brag!” Albus said in exasperation while Melanie bit her lip to keep from laughing. She knew all about James’s reputation as a lady-killer, which made Albus’s shy demeanor even stranger in contrast.

Melanie redirected the conversation back. “Albus spoke first. He was very polite, and I did my best to ignore him.”

Lily squealed excitedly at the new gossip. “When did you stop ignoring him?”

Melanie glanced over at James’s stiffly neutral face. “When I realized how rude I was.”

It was the truth. But Melanie purposely left out a rather important conversation, one that Albus didn’t know about, one that she’d forgotten until now. Her mind reeled back to that incredibly strange day, when the most unexpected thing occurred.

* * *

“Sullivan. Melanie Sullivan, right?”

Melanie gripped the book cover tightly, willing herself not to look up from her homework. She’d purposely chosen this niche in the library, a table hidden behind a statue, so that she’d never be disturbed by anyone. For someone to know this place was rare enough. For that same someone to know her identity wasn’t a coincidence. This person had to have tracked her somehow. And she knew that voice—everyone in Hogwarts was familiar with it.

“Go away, Potter.” Melanie spat, keeping her head down. “I’m busy.”

“Definitely Melanie.” The famed James Potter slid into the opposite chair in one smooth motion. “I need to talk to you.”

She still refused to look up. “Why all the secrecy? Afraid of being seen with a Slytherin?”

James cocked his head. “Something you and I have in common then.”

His comment threw her off. Melanie finally looked up at James’s open, honest face. This was also strange.

“How much do you know about me?” she asked.

“Very little.” James raised an eyebrow. “Only what I’ve heard from Albus.”

Melanie’s heart stopped. “Albus?”

“He didn’t mention your name. He just said he’d met a cool girl in Potions. Now, Albus is not the kind of person who’d strike up a conversation like a normal person, unless he’s sharing a desk with them. Potions is the only class where you have required seats in alphabetical order. All signs point to you, Melanie Sullivan.” James explained at length.

Melanie cocked her head, mirroring him. “Are you Albus’s friend-approval stamp?” she joked.

“If I was,” James said softly, “you’d know that I haven’t had to give out many stamps.”

Melanie grew silent, processing his words. He’d confirmed what she’d gathered about Albus, the shy and awkward Potter whom everyone liked but no one understood. Outside of his family, he had few friends at Hogwarts and wasn’t particularly close to anyone. All of these facts led to one blindingly obvious question.

“Why does Albus talk to me?”

James gave her a questioning look. Melanie felt horrified as she realized what she’d just uttered.

“Is he bothering you?” James asked. “He can talk a bit strangely—”

“No!” Melanie blurted. “He’s fine. I mean, he’s not annoying or anything.” A bit awkward, but who was she to judge that?

James smirked. “You’re all he’s talked about recently. I’ve never seen him this excited about his other friends.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re different.” James said seriously. “I wanted to see if you lived up to all of his hype.”

Melanie raised an eyebrow. “Have I?”

“Surprisingly, yes. I see why he likes you.”

Albus liked her? She’d hardly said anything nice to him. After some stony silence for weeks, Melanie had slowly shared a few conversations with Albus during Potions, but only to complain about her house and the people in it. For some reason, Albus laughed at her jokes and genuinely listened to her complaints. She’d grown to appreciate his gentle demeanor, but she had no idea how he put up with her abrasive attitude.

It seemed like the gene for kindness was also present in James. He was just being an older brother, looking out for his younger brother who apparently spoke highly of her, a Slytherin.

“He also speaks highly of you,” Melanie offered. It was the truth: Albus’s love for his family was obvious.

James flashed a smile. “They don’t call me ‘Mr. Smooth’ for nothing.”

Melanie rolled her eyes. “Why are you really here? Despite the pompous Gryffindor rep, I doubt you were that concerned with how cool I am.”

James raised his hand up in mock surrender. “Fair, it has nothing to do with that.” He put his hands down and became more serious again.

Melanie braced herself. Where was this going?

“I usually don’t act like a big brother around Albus—honestly, he and I don’t talk much—but he is still my little brother.” James said. “So if you do anything to hurt him, I’ll… well, I don’t know what I’d do actually.”

Melanie tried her hardest not to laugh. “Are you threatening me?”

James groaned. “I was trying to. But it’s not like I’d beat you up. Not that I couldn’t take you in a fight,” he winked. “Look, all I’m saying is be kind to him. He doesn’t have a lot of friends, but when he makes one, he’ll throw everything in it.” He stared Melanie dead in the eye. “Don’t let him down.”

And on that dramatic note, James Potter left the library, leaving a dumbfounded Melanie questioning the Potter family’s sanity.

* * *

“So Albus told us you’re one of the most talented students in your grade!” Lily said back in the present time, already jumping onto a new topic.

“That’s not remotely true,” Melanie disagreed, “your cousin is.” Everyone at Hogwarts knew how studious Rose Weasley was, aiming to beat her mother’s O.W.L. scores next year. Melanie found the academic know-it-all to be overwhelming at times, though she did admire Rose’s determination.

“But he said you were the top student in Defense Against the Dark Arts!” Lily persisted.

That was neither true nor false. Most of the Slytherin kids ironically excelled in D.A.D.A. The Professor had once suggested that understanding the Dark Arts gave you more power to defend yourself against it, and Slytherin history was all too familiar with that.

But it didn’t hurt to be both the teacher’s pet and relatively friendless. Under Professor Robin’s guidance, she’d self-studied several advanced D.A.D.A. techniques in her spare time, learning skills beyond the O.W.L.s and the N.E.W.T.s. But unlike Rose Weasley and the Ravenclaw students, she didn’t do it for the tests; she did it for herself.

“Can you really produce a Patronus?” Lily asked with wide eyes.

Melanie glanced over at Albus. “Exactly how much did you tell your siblings about me?”

Albus smiled. “Your Patronus isn’t exactly a secret.”

Melanie was mortified. Last year, her Patronus had been the talk of the castle for weeks. Caught in a horrible dream involving dementors, Melanie had managed to conjure a Patronus in the Slytherin dormitory while asleep. She woke up to the frightened screams of her roommates running away from a frightening sight.

“DRAGON!” they’d shrieked, frantically grabbing their wands.

Stunned, Melanie had looked down at her left hand and saw the silvery blue streams coming out of her wand. She had never produced a full Patronus before, only an indistinct cloud, nothing like this beautiful blue dragon—

“What’s going on in there?” The Slytherin prefect yelled through the doors, accompanied by furious pounding.

By the time the Slytherin prefects managed to get through the door, Melanie had managed to snuff out her Patronus, leaving behind a scene with all of the other girls pointing their wands at her.

The official write-up only stated “nighttime disturbance”, but it wasn’t long before everyone in the castle knew what had really happened in the Slytherin dormitory. Though it had further ostracized her already distant roommates from ever speaking to her again, her Dragon Patronus gained the respect of everyone else in the castle.

Unfortunately, there was only one problem with her Patronus. “I’ve never been able to create another corporeal patronus since that night.” Melanie admitted. “Sometimes I wonder if it was a dream.”

Her left hand tingled, as if in fact reminding her of the truth. Of course it had actually happened, but denying it was easier than admitting her own failure to produce another Patronus.

“But a Dragon!” James said in awe. “Those are insanely rare! Also super cool that you already know what your Patronus is.”

“I bet yours will be a rat!” Lily teased.

“Or maybe a walrus.” Albus jumped in. “I read that male walruses like to keep loads of females around them.”

Everyone in the train carriage laughed as James attempted to hit Albus with a Rubby O’Chicken (courtesy of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes) and progressed into an all out brawl between the four teens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. The Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie arrives at the Potter cottage, and it's nothing like she expected.

The train came to a complete stop at King’s Cross Station, waking Lily from her nap and nearly causing Melanie’s trunk to fall onto James. Gathering their belongings, they all scrambled out of the compartment and shoved their way through all of the other exhausted but eager students.

“Dad said Teddy would be waiting here for us,” Albus said as they all managed to get off of the platform.

James rolled his eyes. “As if I wasn’t old enough to take care of you all.”

“I don’t think it’s your age that mum and dad are worried about!” Lily grinned mischievously. She easily dodged James’s shove.

“Could you two not fight in public for once?” Albus groaned.

“Look!” Lily beamed. “It’s Teddy!”

A teal-haired man in smart clothes stood a few feet away. His face broke out into a huge grin upon catching sight of the Potters.

“If it isn’t some of my favorite cousins!” He said happily, grabbing Lily into a bear hug. “How was the ride?”

“We made a lovely mess in our carriage, I’d call that a success.” James said proudly, hugging Teddy after Lily.

Albus also snuck in a hug. “Where’s Victoire?”

“Caught up at work, but she sends you her love.” Teddy replied. “And you must be Melanie Sullivan!”

Melanie found herself caught in an unexpected hug. Being overly friendly, she realized, was a part of the Potter lifestyle.

“Let me grab that for you,” Teddy grabbed Melanie’s luggage before she could protest. “My car’s parked outside, as long as no one’s towed it. Muggle cops are so picky when it comes to parking.”

James and Lily ran ahead, racing each other to the car park, while Melanie and Albus lagged behind with Teddy.

“I like your hair color.” Melanie complimented. She did like the bright teal statement.

“Thanks!” Teddy patted his hair. “This is always my go-to shade. I’ve tried everything else but no other shade seems to fit. Gotta stick to what I was born with, you know?”

“He’s a metamorphmagus.” Albus explained to a confused Melanie.

Her eyes widened. “Wait, were you the metamorphmagus that Filch always complains about?”

Teddy laughed. “That was probably my mother. I on the other hand was a fairly good student at Hogwarts.”

“I thought you’d change your appearance so that Filch never recognized you.” Albus said.

“Details,” Teddy scoffed. “Though Melanie, it sounds like you’ve run into Filch several times yourself.”

Melanie smirked. “Not quite. He never catches me either.”

Teddy high-fived Melanie. “I think we’re going to get along great!”

* * *

A few hours into the car ride, Melanie was still reveling in the power of magic and expanding cars. She was thoroughly enjoying being able to stretch out her legs while still avoiding James and Albus’s arm wrestling match. (They were surprisingly even, despite James being older and taller). Lily was seated in the front with Teddy, both caught up in animated conversation.

“We’re home!” Lily shouted with glee as the car turned around the final bend.

More than excited, Melanie peered out of the window to catch her first glimpse of the Potter household. She knew that Albus really loved his home and looked forward to going back every summer, yet he’d never really described what it looked like. The media always bemoaned how secretive the Potters were, as there were many privacy charms intended to keep prying eyes out. With Harry being one of the most famous wizards in the world and Ginny being a former Quidditch star, she was expecting the riches and glamour associated with muggle celebrities.

She first noticed the sprawling fields, complete with a well-maintained Quidditch field and on the edges of a forest. Having grown up in the cities, she couldn’t imagine living with so much outdoor space. Entranced by the Quidditch field, she didn’t even realize when they’d pulled up next to the house.

It was not what she was expecting. Smaller, traditional, charming in its settings. It reminded her of the cottages in fairytales she’d read as a child, earth-hued brick with flowering plants covering the walls. The longer she looked at it, the more quirky details came to life: a garden with magical plants, a floating add-on in the back, a creature she suspected was a gnome popping its head out as the car approached.

She hadn’t noticed everyone in the car watching her, gauging her reaction.

“It’s—beautiful.” she breathed, the words coming right out of her.

“Mum! Dad!” Lily practically flew out of the car and raced towards her parents, who were standing in the doorway.

Everyone else in the car quickly exited the car save for Melanie, who was bracing herself to meet the Potters. Funny, she hadn’t been intimidated by them when she first heard about them at Hogwarts. They were just famous celebrities that made for good gossip in the Slytherin common room. But after she’d befriended Albus, the Potters became real people who’d invited her to their home for the summer. Nothing else could’ve made them more intimidating.

Working up the nerve, Melanie opened the car door and slowly walked over to the Potters. Lily was teasing James as he grudgingly received a kiss from his mum, while Albus was willingly hugging his dad. Teddy was his usual self, greeting the Potters and ruffling Lily’s hair.

Melanie sighed. Not for the first time in her life, she felt a little jealous about something she’d never had.

Albus noticed her arriving and gave an encouraging smile. “Dad, this is Melanie. Melanie, this is, uh, Dad.”

Melanie got her first good look at the famed Harry Potter. He always looked so professional in the Daily Prophet tabloids, with his Auror robes and stilted smile. Yet among his family and his home, Melanie was struck by how normal he appeared, especially wearing muggle jeans and a sweater. She previously hadn’t thought that Albus looked much like his father, but seeing them both in-person strongly highlighted their similarities.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Harry Potter said, taking Melanie’s extended hand and giving a firm shake. His voice was softer than she’d expected, another similarity with Albus. “Welcome to our home.”

“Thank you for inviting me to your home, Mr. Potter.” Melanie replied, saying the phrase she’d be practicing in her head during the car ride. “I’m very grateful for your hospitality.”

He chuckled. “Please call me Harry, everyone else does.”

“And this is Mum,” Albus continued, directing Melanie to Ginny Potter. If anyone looked like a celebrity in the Potter family, it was her—she was truly striking, with Lily’s red hair and James’s extroverted expression. She looked polished and professional in her work robes, a little out of place in the countryside setting.

“We’ve been excited to meet you,” Ginny Potter said as she shook Melanie’s hand. “And please call me Ginny.”

Melanie’s head was swirling. Harry and Ginny? Could she really call the famous Potters by their first names? It almost felt blasphemous.

“Told you they’d insist on first names,” Albus whispered to Melanie as the group started walking towards the cottage. “You owe me 10 Sickles.”

Melanie grudgingly gave up her silver coins to a smug Albus. “Can you blame me for not believing that? You literally have the most famous parents in the British wizarding world.”

“Even so, we’re just like any other family.” Albus smiled at Melanie. “You’ll see soon enough.”

* * *

“I’ve been craving mac and cheese all day!” Lily gasped excitedly, filling her plate with a big heaping of aggressively yellow mac and cheese. She attacked it with gusto, using both hands to nearly inhale her food.

“Ever since we took our holiday in the US last year,” Albus explained as he passed the mac and cheese serving bowl to Melanie, “she’s been obsessed with mac and cheese. I think she even tried convincing the house elves at Hogwarts to try out a recipe.”

“The only mac and cheese I’ve ever had is EasyMac.” Melanie admitted, taking a small amount to sample.

Albus laughed. “Trust me, this is loads better. My Gran loves a cooking challenge and came up with this recipe.”

“More please!” Lily shouted, showing off her empty plate. Melanie stared in astonishment.

“Out of all the Weasley cousins, only our daughter ended up inheriting her uncle’s appetite,” Harry laughed as he noticed Melanie’s shock “Ron was overjoyed.”

As it turns out, dinners at the Potters were a chaotic mess. The dining room was a cozy space, large enough to fit everyone comfortably without feeling massive. Though Lily easily had the biggest appetite, the rest of the Potters and Teddy Lupin were undeterred by the table bursting with all sorts of dishes. Everyone was passing things left and right, occasionally reaching across the table if they were impatient. Several conversations overlapped each other and filled the dining room with an endless supply of chatter, creating a warm albeit crowded atmosphere.

“I think we’d benefit from a Mars bars selection at Hogwarts” James said through a mouthful of Shepherd’s Pie. “The desserts are great and all, but sometimes you just want a quick chocolate snack.”

Melanie stared at James in shock. “You know what Mars bars are?”

“Course I do! Dad always keeps some in the house.” He leaned in and lowered his voice to a whisper. “And if you do well in the induction ceremony, we’ll tell you where our secret stash is.”

It hadn’t occurred to Melanie that the Potters would be familiar with Muggle culture. But then again, Harry Potter had lived in the Muggle world during his childhood—maybe it shouldn’t have been that surprising. After all, they knew about mac and cheese.

“Melanie, I hear you’re a Beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team?” Harry asked from across the table.

Melanie nodded. “I was the sub last year, then got a spot on the team this year when the last Beater graduated.”

“She’s really good,” Albus interjected. “With her on the team, Slytherin was able to win the Quidditch Cup.”

“It’s true! I could outfly the Slytherin chasers no problem, but she’s loads better than our beaters.” Lily added. “I don’t know why McLaggen’s still on the team, he’s honestly such a—”

Harry cleared his throat and gave Lily a pointed look. Melanie glanced over at Albus, who was trying his hardest not to laugh.

“We’ve got an excellent Quidditch field nearby,” Harry continued, gesturing out the back window. “You’re welcome to borrow any of our brooms during the summer.”

Melanie nodded her thanks, still uncomfortable with all of the generosity. Was this what all of Albus’s childhood had been like? No wonder he was so selfless and kind hearted, when everyone in his family was so welcoming.

Well, almost everyone. Save for the initial introduction, Albus’s mom hadn’t said another word to her. Though they were nearly the same height, Melanie felt rather small in comparison. It was a strange feeling; usually Melanie had no trouble holding her ground against older, more intimidating figures (as most of her previous foster caretakers could vouch), but something about Ginny made her question herself. Ginny Potter seemed so smart and fierce, a force to be reckoned with, and a successful Quidditch player, journalist, and mother to boot. Plus, as Albus stipulated, she was immensely protective and “would destroy any threat to her family.”

 _Am I a threat?_ Melanie fretted as Ginny Potter kept avoiding her gaze. The thought stung more than she’d anticipated.

The rest of dinner passed by in a flurry, with a round of desserts making their way around the table. Melanie picked around her sticky toffee pudding, a treat she usually enjoyed immensely. Albus noticed her sudden lack of appetite and tried catching her attention, but Melanie remained silent. Meanwhile, James and Lily were too busy asking Teddy for imitations to notice anything off. To be fair, Teddy’s lion head was uncannily accurate, and his Hagrid impression was hysterical, throwing them all into fits of laughter.

After desserts were all finished, the entire Potter family sprung to action. Ginny waved her wand and all of the dishes magically cleaned and stacked themselves. Harry cleaned the kitchen with a few flicks of his wand. Meanwhile, the Potter children started their chores unprompted, falling into an established rhythm: Lily sorted the dishes back in the cupboards, James swept the floor, and Albus wiped the table down and rearranged the chairs. In a flash, the dining room and kitchen were all tidied up.

Melanie was shocked at how smoothly clean-up had gone. Order was not present in her foster homes: some of the parents had unsuccessfully attempted to place all of the chores on her, while other families simply were too overwhelmed for organization. The Potters were able to coordinate at a level she had never seen before, never believed to be possible.

Teddy headed out shortly after cleaning, apologizing profusely for his hasty departure. “I’ll be back within the next few weeks,” he said as he gave hugs to the Potter children. “I’m sure Victoire will want to stop by too.” He turned to Melanie, who was awkwardly standing off to the side.

“I expect to see you lots this summer!” he insisted, grabbing Melanie into a quick side hug. “This family’s a lot to take in, but don’t worry, you’ll get used to it quickly.” After quick hugs for Harry and Ginny, he got into his car and drove around the bend, taking with him Melanie’s last chance of possible escape.

James clapped his hands together, grinning mischievously. “It’s time! Give us a few minutes to set up, and then we’ll start the initiation. Sorry Melanie, but you’ll have to wait down here while we set things up. Can’t give you any spoilers!”

“Just make sure to wear clothes that can get dirty!” Lily grinned. She and James dashed towards the stairs, cackling amongst themselves.

Melanie turned to Albus. “Level with me—how intense is this?”

Albus’s eyes sparkled with a hint of madness. “You’ll see.” He ran after his siblings, matching them in enthusiasm.

With the departure of the Potter kids, the dining room became uncomfortably quiet. In Melanie’s eyes, Harry and Ginny Potter transformed from the slightly intimidating parents of her best friend to perhaps the most famous people she’d ever meet. She would have never guessed that the Potters felt similarly nervous around her.

“I’m going to work in the garden.” Ginny Potter announced to the room. “Melanie, your room is the last door on the left upstairs. My husband can help you out with anything else you may need.” And with that, Ginny swiftly left the room.

Melanie wasn’t sure if she was better or worse off. Ginny’s neutrally accommodating demeanor was on par with what she was used to from her previous foster parents; she knew how to handle her. On the other hand, Harry was cheerful and engaging and altogether far more friendly than she’d ever anticipated.

Maybe she was worse off.

Harry cleared his throat. “Actually, this opens up some time for a quick chat.” He nodded towards the study next door. “That is, of course, if you’re willing.”

Oh, no. Melanie had completely forgotten about the snowy owl’s post (had it really only been this morning?), with words that utterly perplexed her:

_Dear Melanie,_

_I would like to extend my warm welcome to our family's cottage for the summer. We are eager to meet you: any friend of Albus is a friend of ours._

_I wish to have a short conversation with you after dinner. Nothing to stress about - I want to make sure that your stay here is as comfortable and pleasant as we can manage._

_Safe travels, Harry_.

Melanie had done her best to ignore the note as soon as she read it. Consequently she hadn’t told Albus about it, which she was now regretting. Albus could have helped her decode his dad’s words. Would the conversation be as innocent as Harry claimed, or was it preemptively disciplinary? The Potters were allowing a stranger to live with them for three months; surely there were set rules and guidelines to adhere to.

At least, that’s how it always went down at her previous foster homes. Since her case file labeled her as “troublesome”, “unpredictable”, and “strong-headed”, her foster parents would uphold a strict code of conduct, believing that doing so would temper her behavior. Given how often she had to switch homes, it wasn’t a particularly effective strategy.

Lost in her thoughts, Melanie followed Harry into the study. With comfy armchairs, bookshelves lining the walls, and a small fireplace, the room felt very cosy and warm. The walls were a rich burgundy hue, and there were gold accents on the furniture.

“Please, sit.” Harry requested, gesturing towards a lovely red armchair near the fireplace. Melanie obliged, too tense to notice how comfortable the chair was.

Harry waved his wand, and two steaming tea cups floated towards them. Melanie sipped from her cup, which had precisely the amount of sugar and milk she preferred.

“I imagine you’ve been wondering what I wanted to talk about.” Harry predicted. “I thought it’d be best to send a message ahead of time, though I realize now that I probably caused more stress.”

Melanie shifted in her seat, unsure where this was going. Harry took a deep breath, as if preparing himself.

“My son has told me a bit about your past,” Harry began. “I won’t ask you to share any details, but—it sounds like your family life has always been uncertain.” He met her gaze with a careful expression. “Our experiences were different, but I do know what it feels like to not have a permanent sense of home.”

Melanie’s voice sank into her stomach. She set her teacup down, attempting to hide her shaking hands.

“I say this because I want to recognize your situation,” Harry continued, “and to do everything in my power to help you feel at home. You’ve gotten used to taking care of yourself and are pretty good at it, so Albus claims. I understand that you’ll be on your guard, as I was when I first met my wife’s family.” he smiled at the memory. “We’re all about communication in our household, so please don’t hesitate to speak up if you need anything.”

Harry sighed at the end of his speech. For the first time, Melanie noticed the hints of pain on his face, faded yet still persistent. Albus had summarized his father’s difficult childhood to her, but Melanie suspected that Harry had withheld the full extent, just as she had withheld parts of her past from Albus.

“Thank you, Mr. P - Harry.” she corrected herself, the name feeling clumsy in her mouth. Her brain swirled with a million questions—she’d have to recount this whole situation to Albus later.

“I won’t keep you any longer.” Harry got up from his chair, trying to hide a smile. “I’m sure my kids have an exciting evening in store for you.”

Melanie scrutinized his face, searching for clues. “Can you tell me anything about what’s going to happen?”

Harry chuckled. “I don’t think so. George Weasley would have my head if I spoiled the surprise for you.”

“George Weasley?” Melanie asked, but her answer was interrupted by a knock on the door. Albus peeked his head into the study, looking rather pleased with himself.

“We’re all set up.” His eyes twinkled. “Are you ready?”


	4. The Initiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Initiation is all kinds of absurdity. Melanie questions the sanity of the Potter siblings.

“Welcome to the thirteenth round of Potter initiation!” boomed James, holding a magical megaphone. He was sporting a muggle’s referee uniform and looked rather ridiculous. “Our special guest is the one, the only, Melanie Sullivan!”

Lily gave a loud cheer, rattling an alarmingly loud noisemaker. Albus gave Melanie a thumbs up.

“Thirteenth?” asked Melanie.

“We’ve got a lot of cousins,” Albus explained. He suddenly grew very interested in his feet. “Actually, you’ll be the first non-relative to go through initiation.”

Melanie’s eyes widened. “Say what now?”

“No time to waste!” James interrupted. “You’ve got a long task ahead of you.”

She looked around the attic trying to gain some insight on what was about to happen. Everything seemed perfectly normal, with numerous cushions, piles of books, and random knick knacks scattered around the space. Light streamed in from a big window overlooking the meadow and Quidditch field. The Potters were all standing in the middle, looking very much like a row of judges at an audition.

“Before you can begin, we have to go over the rules.” said James, doing his best impression of a Quidditch announcer. “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to complete the challenges set out by myself, my brother, and my sister, in order to find the three keys and unlock the treasure.” He held out a gaudy treasure box, laden with plastic jewels and fake gold hardware. Embossed on the lid were the letters _J_ , _A_ , and _L_.

“These challenges,” Albus picked up, as if reciting from a rehearsed script, “will take place in three distinct locations.” In a coordinated manner, all three of the Potters revealed what they held behind their backs: miniature glass globes.

Melanie stared at the globes. Lily’s looked like a regular snow globe, except with a furious snowstorm inside. James’s contained a muggy, dense swamp, and Albus’s globe was full of golden sand.

“What are these?” she asked, utterly flummoxed.

“Portable biomes!” said Lily excitedly. “Like the ones from Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, except these ones are specially made by Uncle George.”

“How do they work?”

Albus grinned. “Remember the infamous swamp legend at Hogwarts?” Melanie nodded: everyone knew about how the Weasley twins’ transformed a corridor into a swamp. A small patch still remained in their honor.

“These are the upgraded versions of the portable swamp. Uncle George and Uncle Ron expanded into a whole range of different biomes, including the portable desert and tundra.” Albus indicated his and Lily’s globe. “But they gave us unique versions that we could modify into whatever we liked. So, we decided to turn them into challenge courses.”

Melanie glanced at all of their faces to see if they were bluffing. All of them looked dead serious.

“In the attic?” she asked incredulously.

“Oh, right. The attic magically expands to create a more realistic experience.” Albus clarified. “So it’ll really feel like you’re outside in these biomes.”

Melanie’s head was spinning. Four years at Hogwarts had given her a healthy appreciation of the unlimited power of magic, but this seemed truly ridiculous. “So, you’re going to turn the attic into a swamp, a desert, and a tundra, and I’m supposed to explore around and find all three keys?”

“That sums it up!” said James. “But the keys aren’t just hidden away. You’ll have to complete some challenges in order to get them.”

“What challenges?”

“No spoilers!” Lily grinned mischievously. “But don’t worry, we’ll give you clues if you’re stuck. Well, Albus won’t, but he’s just stubborn.”

Albus shrugged. “It’s not a challenge otherwise.”

“Yours is way too hard as it is! At least mine is fun!”

“Ahem!” James yelled in his megaphone. Albus and Lily immediately stopped bickering. “To add onto Lily’s point, we’ll all be watching as you go through the challenges. So it’ll be super embarrassing if you fail, but we’ll get you back on the right path.”

Melanie rolled her eyes. “Alright, I think I get it.”

“Oh, one more thing!” said James. “No wands allowed, since we’re all under age anyway. Besides, we’re not testing your magical ability—we’re testing you.”

Damn. She’d completely forgotten about the under age rule. But she was more bothered by the second half of James’s statement. Was this a test she could fail?

“This isn’t really about the treasure,” said Albus, noticing Melanie’s rising concerns. “It’s really more about how you solve the challenges. We ultimately created them to see how well you’ll fit in with the Potters.” Albus reassured her with a smile. “I don’t think you’ll have any problem with them.”

Melanie’s stomach fluttered. Somehow, Albus’s kindness made her feel _more_ nervous, though for a completely different reason.

“So what are we waiting for?” James practically bounced in excitement. “Are you ready to begin?”

Not in the slightest, but Melanie swallowed her doubt and nodded. “Bring it.”

“That’s the spirit!” And James tossed the swamp globe into the air. The room exploded in a sea of green vines and brown water, causing Melanie’s vision to spin in all directions. She lost her footing and fell onto the ground—except it had become a puddle of swamp mud.

“Ewwww,” Melanie complained as she shook off the sludge. She’d never stepped foot into a bog before, but this one felt uncannily accurate. The dense canopy of trees, the neon green algae, and the sloping vines were incredibly lifelike and worked to disguise any signs of the attic. It was hard to judge the size of the area, as the horizon was accurate for an outdoor space. Even the ceiling had been enchanted to look like a clear sky stretching across the swamp.

“Tut tut! Time’s a tickin’!”

Melanie whipped around, ready to wipe the grin off of James’ smug face, but there was no one to be found.

“Where are you?” she asked out loud, feeling a little foolish. She wrung out her shirt in an attempt to stop the dripping.

“Watching over you!” came James’s reply. His voice echoed around the swamp like a stadium announcement. “Don’t get distracted, you’ve got a challenge to complete.”

Melanie felt like a rat in a lab cage. “Am I not allowed to see you?”

“It’s part of the magic!” chimed Lily.

“The faster you complete this challenge, the sooner James shuts up.” Albus added.

“Hey! My globe, my megaphone!” James’s complaints were muffled by the sound of general scuffling.

Shutting James up was enough incentive for Melanie. She rolled her pants up and trudged through the reeds, keeping her eyes peeled for clues. How was she supposed to find a “J” key smaller than the palm of her hand?

Lost in her thoughts, Melanie hardly noticed the vine sneaking behind her. It slowly wrapped around her right leg and gave a sharp tug, causing her to spectacularly face-plant over a log.

“Oh come on!” Melanie groaned, rubbing her sore knees. She glowered at the offending vine, wrapped too precisely to be a non-magical accident.

She could hear James cackling in the megaphone. “I see you’ve become acquainted with my vine friends!” he managed to say in between laughs.

Of course James would enchant swamp flora to behave just like himself. Melanie huffed in response.

“You might want to watch out on the left,” warned James in a sing-song voice. Melanie immediately turned around, only to be met with a mud-pie to the face (courtesy of a rather cheeky vine).

“James!” Melanie spat out a mouthful of mud. “What the hell is this?”

His laughter continued to echo around the swamp. Heat rose up to Melanie’s face: how dare he laugh at her struggles!

Melanie clenched her fists and trudged forward through the swamp, too angry to focus on anything. Her body was already bruised and covered in mud; what else could possibly go wrong?

In her distracted fury, Melanie failed to notice the overhanging vines creeping towards her suspiciously. In a flash, two vines snapped around her wrists and jerked her a few feet up into the air.

Melanie dangled from her “vine handcuffs” and flailed around in an attempt to escape. Without warning, the vines loosened up and she fell right over their target: a small pond floating with green algae.

_SPLOOSH!_

The water was only waist deep, but it had done its damage. She could feel the algae coated in her hair and all over the rest of her. The mud all over her body became the perfect glue for algae to stick to, causing her to look like a swamp monster.

She was still sopping wet, her ankles and knees were banged up, there was an unspeakable amount of mud on her face— _I’m being pranked by a magical swamp!_

That thought struck a chord. Melanie looked down at herself and truly took in her horrendous appearance. All of a sudden she burst out laughing, clutching her stomach and rolling on the ground howling. Her anger cracked under sheer hilarity, and she was laughing harder than she’d ever done in her life.

“Pranked—by—swamp!” she choked out before falling into another uncontrollable fit.

The surrounding vines sprung into action. Melanie’s laughter stopped abruptly as she became entranced, wondering what was happening. The vines arranged themselves into a weaving pattern around the swamp, not unlike a synchronized dance performance. Their movements slowly uncovered a narrow, winding path of solid ground, sitting a few inches above the swamp water.

Melanie gaped at the newly revealed path. “Has this been here the whole time?”

“Who knows? Magic tends to play tricks on us,” James joked. “You may want to hurry along that path before it disappears.”

Bewildered but hopeful, Melanie took off on the trail. With no more encounters with pranking vines or swamp puddles, she made it to the end of the path in no time, where a grand, knotted willow tree stood its ground. She parted the willow leaves and discovered a tree hollow, inside of which rested a green block in the shape of a J.

As soon as she grabbed the block, the swamp enchantment fell apart. Everything swirled in a dizzying array, and Melanie suddenly found herself back in the attic again. The Potter kids hovered around her in excitement.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Melanie Sullivan has officially cleared the first task!” James announced. “With an impressive time and a respectable amount of mud on her face.”

Lily and Albus cracked up. Melanie joined in, embarrassed but pleased with her success.

“I’m still not sure what exactly happened,” she admitted while wiping her face clean. “Why did the vines start dancing? And where did the path come from?”

James gave a huge grin. “The path was there the whole time, just camouflaged with the rest of the swamp. You would have found it eventually, but it would have been hilarious watching you trip your way through the swamp for another half-hour. Lucky for you, the vines are enchanted to help those who are worthy.” He punctuated the last word with a flashy hand gesture.

“Um.” Melanie pinched her arm to keep herself from laughing. “I can’t believe I’m asking this, but how did the vines decide I was worthy?” she mimicked James’s hand gestures.

“Because you had fun!” James answered. “And you were a good sport about getting your butt kicked by magical vines.” He held out the reformed swamp globe for Melanie to see. “I got the inspiration from boggarts and how they disappear through laughter. I wanted my challenge to test how someone would put up with Potter shenanigans. If you’d remained angry and annoyed, the vines would’ve gotten so much worse. But you laughed at yourself! And that activated the spell.”

Melanie was flabbergasted. “You’re saying that the entire premise of this challenge was to see if I laughed?”

James smirked. “I like to call it the ‘experiential humor calculator’.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Lily insisted. “Just call it the ‘laughing challenge’ like everyone else does.”

“Excuse me! This is a highly calibrated system for determining one’s fit into the Potter family! Give it some respect!”

James and Lily got caught in a squabble, allowing Melanie to process James’s explanation. His challenge was genuinely quite clever, though she loathed to admit it outloud (his head didn’t need any more inflating). Anyone who planned on spending a lot of time with James had to laugh easily and have thick skin.

“We’ll keep the key safe here,” said Albus, taking the “J” block from her. “Are you ready for the next challenge?”

“Ooo! Please do mine next!” squealed Lily. “Mine’s always last because I’m the youngest, and no one ever enjoys it as much as they should because they’re still frustrated with Albus’s super hard challenge, but mine is super fun and I know you’re totally gonna love it—”

“Okay okay, I give in!” Melanie laughed, impressed but concerned at how Lily hadn’t taken a breath. “As long as doing your challenge next doesn’t break any rules.”

Albus shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what order you go in. Might be good to do Lily’s while you’ve got energy.”

“No spoilers!” Lily took out her tundra globe. “Let’s do this!”

She threw it into the air, creating a massive explosion of blindingly white snow. Melanie became completely disoriented with the swirling space and closed her eyes. An unexpectedly strong gale caught Melanie by surprise, buffeting her around and forcing her to the ground—which had turned into a large snowbank.

_POOF!_

“One of these times I’ll manage to stay upright,” she grumbled as she dug herself out. The brisk wind cut through her summer clothes and sent her shivering. “How did the temperature get so cold?”

Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes had once again succeeded magnificently in creating a realistic climate. The snow-covered landscape, the rugged slopes, and the frozen chill worked together to create a beautifully bleak atmosphere.

“Welcome to the tundra!” Lily’s voice announced. Just like in the swamp, she and her brothers weren’t visible. “Isn’t it beautiful? I think the snow looks very realistic.”

_Too realistic,_ Melanie sighed to herself, desperately wishing for a sweater and some sturdy boots. “Lily, why on earth did you choose a tundra?”

“Because winter is my favorite season!” Lily replied cheerfully.

Okay, Lily was definitely crazy. As someone who disliked the cold, Melanie didn’t understand how anyone could enjoy this environment.

She spotted an odd, long shape sticking out from the snow a few meters away. It looked out of place in an otherwise white landscape, yet the handle seemed so familiar—and with a start, Melanie immediately ran towards the object and dug it out with her hands. There it was, the one thing better than warm clothes: a Cleansweep Seven.

Melanie couldn’t suppress her excitement. Thank goodness there was one Potter with a healthy appreciation for Quidditch!

As soon as she pulled the broom out from the snow, the calm atmosphere erupted into a wild, raging blizzard. Ferocious winds kicked up the snow and flung it around in complete chaos. Melanie had to stabilize herself from blowing away in the wind.

“Your challenge starts now!” Lily announced over the howling wind. “Do you see the red lights?”

Melanie could barely make out the flashing red lights in the snowstorm. They seemed to be arranged in a rough zig-zag pattern.

“Your task is to follow the lights!” continued Lily. “There are ten of them for you to find. If you make it to the end, you’ll find the key!”

Melanie appraised the red light again. Was it that simple? No wonder they all thought she would enjoy this challenge. Flying along a lit path was going to be a breeze. She quickly mounted her broom and, without a second thought, shot towards the first red light with reckless abandon.

Big mistake. The wind immediately blew her off the broom, and she fell into the snow with another _POOF_.

Lily’s laughter rang out around the tundra. “That was terrible!”

Melanie laughed along, mortified at her first attempt. She didn’t have a lot of experience flying in rough conditions, and the wind was much stronger than she’d anticipated.

“Okay.” Melanie squared her shoulders. “This blizzard wants to play dirty? Fine. But I’m still going to win.”

She brushed off the snow and mounted her broom again, filled with determination. It was hard to see anything, so she imagined that the lights were part of a Quidditch exercise. Broom technique wasn’t her strength (she made the team through her speed, not her skill), but the Slytherin Quidditch team coveted excellence and drilled flight formations ad nauseum. Facing this snowstorm, she was finally thankful for the team’s grueling training regimen.

Melanie zoomed off towards the first light, counteracting the fierce wind with an aggressive lean. She passed the first light with ease and swiftly made her way to the next ones. Her Quidditch instincts took over as she ignored her surroundings and zoned in on the lights.

The blizzard threatened to throw her off course, but her body naturally made the correct adjustments to keep her steady. Even with the freezing cold, the non existent visibility, and the shrieking winds that drowned out her own thoughts, Melanie was having the time of her life. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she sailed through turbulent patches like a pro. She kept a mental tally of the number of lights she’d passed, growing excited as she got closer to the last light—

She braked to an abrupt stop, hovering next to the last red light. She was still in the thick of the snowstorm, with no other clues to guide her. Where was the key?

“You’ve only found nine lights!” Lily’s voice floated in. “There’s one more!”

Melanie spun around and scanned the area once more. Besides the light she’d passed before this one, there weren’t any other lights visible. She decided to perform a thorough sweep to locate the last light.

Before she could begin, a particularly strong gust of wind blew right into her and swung her upside down. Melanie dangled underneath her broom, hanging on with all her might.

“Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down,” she muttered to herself. There was no way to tell how high she was off the ground, and she didn’t want to find out. She kept her gaze upwards while pulling herself back onto the broom, and lo and behold, the tenth light shone like a beacon directly above her.

Back on her broom, Melanie tilted her broom upwards and flew towards the last light. The angle felt particularly precarious in the blizzard, and she nearly fell off several times, but there was nothing stopping her from her goal.

The last light looked a little different from the previous ones. It was much smaller, so Melanie had to fly in very close before she could tell what it was: a glowing red key in the shape of an “L”. She snatched it out of the air without a moment’s hesitation.

The spell broke, the broom disappeared, and Melanie fell back onto the attic floor with a thump. After the blinding white snow, Melanie had to blink a few times before her eyes adjusted to the darker attic.

Lily held the portable tundra and beamed at Melanie. “You did it! I knew you’d love it.”

Melanie brushed the leftover snow from her shorts. “I can’t say I loved it, but flying was a huge perk.”

Albus helped her back onto her feet. “We assumed her key would be easy for you, but that was still really impressive.”

“Most people fall off the broom loads of times while trying to get through the blizzard.” Lily explained. “Actually it’s designed to get calmer the more you fall off, in case someone’s a really bad flier and needs some help” (she gave a pointed look at Albus). “But you didn’t need the help! You only fell off once and finished in record time.”

“Yay, we know Melanie’s good at flying, blah blah blah.” James stepped in in a referee-like fashion. “There’s no time to waste! Albus, prepare your biome!”

Albus held out his desert globe. “Everyone thinks mine is the hardest,” he told Melanie, “But I just think it’s… different from the other two.”

Melanie smiled. “That might be a relief, honestly. I’m starting to think your entire family is completely nuts. Do you make everyone battle pranking vines and fly into a blizzard?”

“How else are we going to test someone’s worthiness?” James scoffed. “Being a Potter is not for the faint of heart.”

“We do usually give out hints for these challenges, but you’ve breezed through them without a hitch.” Albus added. “You’re doing really well. And I don’t think you’ll have much trouble with mine either.”

Melanie glowed at Albus’s compliment. It felt silly, but she was glad that she could perform well in these challenges.

“Are you ready?” he asked Melanie. Receiving her nod, he gently tossed the desert globe into the air. The room swirled for a third time, this time with golden sand covering everything in sight. Melanie planted her feet and closed her eyes while waiting for the sand to settle: there was no way she would fall over a third time.

The first thing she noticed was the sweltering temperature, burning off any lasting effects of the freezing tundra. It was also extremely quiet, far more than one would expect in a desert. Deciding that the sand had settled, Melanie slowly opened her eyes and saw—nothing.

Darkness surrounded her, leaving no vestiges of light anywhere. Melanie could feel the sand beneath her feet, but otherwise she had no idea where she was. All she could hear was her own breathing, her own heartbeat in her ears. The surrounding silence was utterly disquieting.

“I’m guessing this is Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.” Melanie said out loud, her voice sounding unnaturally loud in the quiet. She stretched her hands out in an attempt to find any sort of clue.

Her right hand touched a stone wall, slightly taller than her and rock-solid. She felt her way along the wall for a few feet until she hit a corner.

With a sinking realization, Melanie immediately reached her left hand out for confirmation. Sure enough, there was another stone wall parallel to the first one, creating a narrow pathway just wide enough for someone to walk through.

“You’re bloody joking.” she cursed. “Albus, you put me in a _maze_?”

Of _course_ it was a maze. Melanie should’ve guessed it from the start: Albus had a soft spot for all kinds of puzzles and strategy games. (Last Christmas, she gave him a set of muggle Sudoku books as a joke, but he finished them all within a month and was offended that she hadn’t given him the “expert” editions). He harbored a wish to create his own puzzles and always made Melanie try them out. This challenge just so happened to be his three-dimensional puzzle debut.

She half expected to hear Albus chuckling, but no sound came from the megaphone. After the constant chatter from James and Lily, it was almost unsettling to hear nothing from Albus.

Oh. A few pieces clicked in her brain. Albus wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed chatter; he’d prefer to leave people alone. It would be just like him to make his silence part of the challenge.

No wonder James and Lily struggled. They were both engaging, loquacious people who thrived in social environments. Their strengths came from relating to what was around them. Consequently, being trapped in a space where they couldn’t see anything or hear anyone must have been exceedingly difficult.

But Albus’s nature was very different from his siblings. Though he could be friendly and sociable, he felt far more comfortable amongst his own thoughts. His self-reliance allowed him to exude a quiet confidence that was unshakable in nearly any situation. It was the quality Melanie most admired in him.

She took a deep breath. With nothing to guide her, all she had were her wits and her blind courage to get her through the maze. What could possibly go wrong?

So many things, she thought soberly. Anything could be hiding in the dark, and she’d have no idea. What if there were traps? What if she got hopelessly lost and never found the key? What if there was a giant dragon waiting to fry her to a crisp? Okay, the last one was very unlikely, but for all she knew there could be a whole hoard of dragons in here. What if the Potter siblings were laughing at her because there actually was a light and she was too dumb to find it?

_Snap out of it!_ Melanie shook her head to clear her frantic thoughts. There weren’t going to be any dragons in here, or any other stunts or tricks—because this was Albus’s challenge. And she knew Albus better than anyone else.

Emboldened by this thought, she placed her left hand on the wall again and began walking through the maze. She recalled a piece of advice from Albus regarding mazes: “always keep one hand on the wall and follow it to the end”. Who knew his puzzle trivia would come in handy someday?

The only noises she heard were her footsteps in the sand, her hand brushing against the stone wall, and her heart pounding in her ears. She kept panicking when reaching the end of the wall, only to realize that she’d merely hit a corner.

“I’m assuming you’re still watching me,” Melanie said, her nerves compelling her to talk out loud, “which by the way is still quite creepy. Albus, you’re just as nuts as your siblings, and that’s saying something.”

Every step felt like an hour of anticipation. She wasn’t exactly afraid of the dark, but walking in pitch-black was enough to spook anyone. She’d long lost count of how many steps or turns she’d taken and only had enough brain power to focus on her hand on the wall.

“I agree with James and Lily.” Melanie continued. “This is definitely the hardest challenge. Also the most diabolical. Do you really make all of your cousins—”

She stopped in her tracks mid-sentence. A faint, white light flickered a few feet ahead of her, looking almost like a phantom. She rubbed her eyes, assuming she was just hallucinating, but the light was still there. Excitement bubbled over, but she kept her composure and slowly walked forwards.

The light pulsed gently, as if welcoming her to its presence. Melanie took the last step and stood before it, stunned at its brightness. Her heart soared as she made out the white “A” shape of the key. Flooding with relief, she grasped Albus’s key in her hands.

The darkness immediately lifted, revealing the attic restored to its normal self. Melanie shielded her eyes from the sudden intrusion of light. It took several seconds before she noticed the Potter kids standing around her, looking positively dumbfounded.

Melanie handed out Albus’s key. “How did I do?”

They all continued to stare at her, as if frozen in shock. Melanie grew uneasy with their gazes. “Um. Did I do something wrong?”

Finally, James broke the silence. “Merlin’s pants! That was absolutely brilliant!”

She frowned in disagreement. “What do you mean? That was rubbish. I did find the key, but I had to clamor through the dark the whole time. I’m sure it took me forever.”

“Mel, that was the whole point of the challenge.” Albus was positively exuberant. “How long do you think you were in there?”

“Easily over twenty minutes.”

All of the Potter kids shared knowing looks. “What? Was it longer?” Melanie asked.

James held out his referee stopwatch for Melanie to see. “It took you exactly six minutes and thirty-two seconds for you to complete Albus’s challenge.”

Melanie stared at the stopwatch in shock. Had it really only been that long?

“You broke the record by _minutes_.” Lily emphasized. “No one has ever gone below ten minutes, and you crushed that record easily.”

“But—I was walking so slowly. If that’s all you were supposed to do, surely other people went through it much faster.”

“It isn’t about how fast you walk or run through the labyrinth.” Albus explained. (Ah, yes. Albus insisted that “maze” and “labyrinth” weren’t interchangeable terms, but Melanie hardly knew the difference). “It’s about how you react to an unfamiliar situation. I wanted my challenge to be different from James and Lily’s.”

“What really happened is that he couldn’t come up with anything exciting.” Lily interjected.

Albus laughed good-naturedly. “Harsh, but honestly pretty true. So I decided to completely strip away the environment. I knew it wouldn’t be as popular, but I didn’t anticipate how much some people would hate it.” (he gave Lily a pointed look).

“But really, I wanted to focus on the person. I’m interested in seeing what people do when there’s nothing to guide them except their own mind.” Albus’s eyes had a wild glint, revealing the craziness hidden behind his calm demeanor. “Most people tend to freak out when they can’t see anything and spend all their time looking for a light source. Some people give up entirely. Others figure it out eventually, especially since the labyrinth is actually really small.

“But you were remarkable.” His face shone with pride. “You didn’t freak out at all. You somehow knew what to do and killed it. I knew you wouldn’t have any trouble.”

A warm feeling spread to her toes. Albus’s challenge had certainly been nerve-wracking, but Melanie hadn’t thought it was overly difficult. It was meant for someone who knew Albus well—someone like her.

James clapped his hands impatiently. “I think we can all agree that Melanie passed with flying colors!” He handed back the first two keys she’d collected. “You have proven your worth in these challenges and earned your place in the Potter family. Now, if you would please kneel.”

The Potter kids looked at her expectantly. Deciding to just go with it, Melanie knelt on the ground.

Lily tossed a Rubby O’Chicken to James, who proceeded to use it to tap Melanie on the shoulders, much like a sword in a knighting ceremony.

“Miss Melanie Sullivan.” He cleared his throat in an official-like manner. “Do you promise to uphold the values of the Potter family: to walk blindly into danger, to fly as high as you dare, and above all—to have fun?”

Melanie shook from the effort of suppressing her laughter. “I guess?”

James indicated for Melanie to rise back onto her feet. “I hereby decree Melanie Sullivan to be our newest inductee into the Potter family!”

“Woohoo!” Lily shouted, waving her noisemaker again. Albus joined in with his own equally loud magical bell that created applause.

“Would you care to do the honors?” James asked, holding out the small treasure box from before. Feeling a ping of excitement, Melanie placed the three letter keys in their respective spots on the lid. The box clicked open to reveal the treasured prize for her efforts: a sizable stash of Mars Bars.

Melanie burst out laughing so hard that she dropped the treasure box and collapsed to the ground, crying and holding her sides together. The Potters fell for her contagious guffaws and joined in with a chorus of laughter.

_If this is a typical day for the Potters_ , Melanie mused, _then I’m in for the best summer of my life._


	5. An Unexpected Dinner Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scamanders join the Potters for an eventful evening.

After the wild events of the first evening, life at the Meadow slowed down to a calm, normal pace, perfectly suitable for a summer vacation at home. Yet even after three or four days of the same routine, every aspect still felt new and fresh to Melanie.

She woke up every morning to the smell of a proper English Breakfast: bacon or bangers, beans, and eggs done sunny-side up. Her room was small but cosy, collecting all of the sunlight from the east-facing window. She’d roll out of bed, slip on a t-shirt and shorts, and walk through the narrow hallway and down the winding stairs.

The stairs opened up to the foyer, its cream walls lined with moving portraits of the Potter family. She smiled at her favorite photo: a toothy-grinned James and a wide-eyed Albus holding a baby Lily, the brothers waving at the camera with their toddler arms. The foyer seamlessly transitioned into the dining room, where breakfast was laid out buffet style.

At 9 am, she was often the last person to come down for breakfast (save for Lily, who could sleep through noon if no one woke her up). Albus was usually hiding away in the study with a cup of coffee and his latest book, while James and Harry played a few rounds of the Muggle card game Brag, placing bets with Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans. Sometimes Melanie would join in a round, having played Brag in several foster homes. Ginny was never present in the mornings, as she preferred to head into the office early and come home by mid-afternoon.

After Harry left for work via Floo Powder, the Potter kids and Melanie had a good chunk of the day to themselves. They preferred to spend their time outside, and there was plenty to explore around the Meadow. One of their special spots was the babbling brook behind the cottage, hidden within the maple grove and the perfect spot to escape the summer heat. Another popular area was the hill of wild honeysuckles, aptly named “Sunset Hill” for its breathtaking views of the sunset.

Once Lily was coaxed awake, they would all face off in two-a-side Quidditch, with Lily and Albus playing against Melanie and James. The latter were surprisingly well paired, with James’s overall athleticism and Melanie’s speed. Facing Lily Potter proved to be a great way to practice flying, as Lily outscored them nearly every game, even with Albus holding their team back.

When Ginny came back from work, Lily would leave the group to spend one-on-one time practicing Quidditch with her mum. James had several friends nearby and would often head over to one of their houses for the afternoon, leaving Albus and Melanie to hang out by themselves. This suited them just fine, and they would find a nice quiet spot to talk, read books, or play a game of Wizard Chess.

All in all, it was truly a relaxing time. Melanie enjoyed the peace and quiet and was warming up to the Potter lifestyle—except for the dinners. No matter what Melanie tried, she always felt awkward during the sit-down dinners with the whole family. Albus, James, and Lily were their usual selves, but interacting with their parents was a mixed bag of stress for Melanie. 

“I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about.” Albus said honestly after she confided her hesitations about dinner to him. It had been five days since Melanie had arrived at the Potter cottage, and the pair was sitting under the shade of the maple grove, with the brook babbling in front of them. “You think they’re being too nice?”

“No, I’m not explaining it well,” said Melanie. “It’s more like they’re too polite, in completely different ways. I’m convinced your mum still doesn’t like me, but she’s putting on a good face because I’m your friend. And your dad keeps asking me all of these questions about my interests and my life at Hogwarts.”

Albus laughed. “Mel, he does that with all of us! That means he’s interested in getting to know you.”

“But it’s so specific! Like last night, when he spent half the dinner talking to me about Patronuses, just because you told him I could produce one. He could’ve spent that time talking to you or your siblings.”

“He’s had our whole lives to talk to me and my siblings.” Albus pointed out. “You’re the new person, and I think you’ve made a good impression on him. It’s not just him being polite, I promise.”

Melanie sighed. “Okay, I trust you. I’ve just never had any adults ask me so many questions, besides my case manager. Even the professors at Hogwarts aren’t usually that invested in their students.”

“What about your foster parents?”

“Not really.” Melanie shrugged. “I mean, they would check in with me about my day, but it was never more than a ‘how was your day’ or ‘did you finish your homework?’

Albus nodded seriously. “I’ve heard some of our classmates say that about their own parents. But mum and dad have always encouraged us to tell them as much or as little as we want. I think all three of us tend to tell them a lot; it’s nice to have two people who will always care about what you say, even when it’s silly or stupid.”

Melanie tried to imagine voluntarily opening up to an adult. She’d had some deeper conversations with Professor Robins, but those had all been prompted by his inquiries. She would never seek him out for more than a quick question or two. As for her case manager, any conversation that was non-disciplinary practically didn’t exist.

“I’m sorry.” Albus apologized out of the blue. “I shouldn’t have laughed earlier. I forgot that this is all new for you.”

“Not all of it. I’ve seen your mum’s behavior before.” Melanie wrinkled her nose. “Actually, it reminds me of a previous foster mum.”

“What do you mean?”

Her memory flashed back to a short-break placement with an older couple right outside of London. “Did I ever tell you about the Walter family?”

“Is that where you set the family’s Christmas tree on fire?”

“No, that was the McKinzie’s.” Melanie smiled wickedly. “Though I stand by that, their son was an absolute prat.”

Albus shook his head in disbelief. “Weren’t you only six at the time?”

“An unimportant detail,” Melanie waved off. “But back to the Walters. They were the last family I stayed with before I went to Hogwarts.”

She was acutely aware of Albus’s undivided attention. She rarely talked about her life in the foster care system, and Albus never pushed her to share anything, but he always hung onto every word that she did tell him.

“I stayed with them for almost a year.” Melanie began wringing her hands. “My case manager told me that I was very fortunate to be placed with them. It was in a good neighborhood, and the other children had already moved away to college, so it was just me. It was practically picture perfect.

“Of course, it was too good to be true. They were nice people, to be fair. But Mrs. Walter was always distant. She was overly polite to me when other people were around, and then she would completely ignore me when we were alone.”

Melanie could easily picture Mrs. Walter: a tall, thin lady with a tailored navy pantsuit, dyed-blonde hair to cover up her grey roots, and a smile that never reached her eyes. “It was like they were putting on a show. The Walters were really popular in the neighborhood, and everyone thought it was so generous of them to welcome in a foster kid. But they didn’t want any part in raising me. They made me feel like I was a stranger in their home. It was weird, but I thought I could deal with it—until 10 months later, when Mrs. Walter randomly called my case manager to pick me up because I ‘wasn’t what she expected’. I had twenty minutes to pack.”

Melanie tossed another rock into the brook, this time with more force. Albus stared at her with wide, glassy eyes. 

“Gulping Gargoyles.” Albus breathed. “You never told me about that.”

She avoided Albus’s gaze. “I can laugh off most of the other transfers, but that one made me so angry. They didn’t even give me a chance to belong.”

They both stayed silent for a little while, listening to the gentle sounds of the brook. Melanie’s past anger crept up her throat and boiled her thoughts, and she didn’t trust herself to say anything else. Albus furrowed his brow in thought.

“I think I get it now.” he said after a few minutes. “You think that my mum is acting like Mrs. Walter.”

Melanie grew apprehensive at his careful tone. “What do you think?”

Albus rubbed his neck. “Honestly, I don’t know. My mum is usually straightforward in her opinions, like James and Lily. If she likes or doesn’t like someone, she’s vocal about it. But I don’t know how she feels about you, and that’s pretty strange.”

“Didn’t you say that your mum was initially against us being friends?”

“Yes, but my dad turned her around.”

“Are you sure?” Melanie pressed. “I think she still has some misgivings.”

“I—” Albus looked torn. “I don’t know, Mel. I agree that my mum has been more polite than warm, but I don’t think that means she dislikes you.”

“Oi, lovebirds! Where’ve you been?”

Albus and Melanie jumped with a start. James stood a few feet behind, looking rather pleased with himself for sneaking up on them.

“Very funny, James.” Albus quickly stood up. “What is it?”

The older brother grinned. “Wow, you two really lost track of time. Mum and dad wanted me to come find you for dinner.”

Sure enough, the sun was significantly lower in the sky than Melanie anticipated. 

“We’d better hurry back,” James continued, “we’ve got to welcome our guests!”

This was a new development for Melanie; it’d been a few days since Teddy Lupin had dropped them off from the train station, and there hadn’t been any other guests. “Who is it?”

“Probably Rita Skeeter,” James said casually as they all started walking back to the cottage. “She loves learning about Potter gossip. I’m sure she’ll want to interview Melanie for the hot scoop.”

Melanie’s face paled. “Excuse me?”

James laughed at her horrified expression. “I’m kidding! You’re more gullible than I thought. It’s just the Scamanders. You’re friends with Lysander and Lorcan, right?”

She punched James in the arm. “For Merlin’s sake, don’t scare me like that!”

“Well, now that we know how much you’d like to be interviewed,” Albus grinned, “we’ll make sure to tell Aunt Luna. You know her father is the editor for The Quibbler? I’m sure they’d give you an exclusive.”

Melanie held another fist up. “Don’t make me punch you too!”

The teasing continued all the way back to the cottage. James challenged Melanie to a footrace, so they sprinted across the Meadow in record time. (Albus elected to walk). He barely squeezed out a victory, only because Melanie hadn’t noticed the knarl in time and nearly tripped over it.

Back at the cottage, James and Melanie stopped in the backyard to wait for Albus and catch their breaths. They spotted Lily sitting in the garden, along with two other familiar faces.

“Hi Melanie!” Lorcan waved enthusiastically. “Look what we brought!”

The Scamander twins were a welcome sight for Melanie. It was impossible to confuse them, as Lysander’s caramel brown hair was significantly darker than Lorcan’s dirty-blonde curls. Lysander was also never seen without his black-rimmed glasses, adding to his quizzical, aloof look. He crouched on the ground wielding a gardening spade with an air of calm patience. On the other hand, Lorcan exuded pure energy as he proudly held up a pot containing what appeared to be a large pink pinecone.

“You came at a good time,” Lysander said matter-of-factly when Albus caught up with the group. “We’re about to plant this _Rosea Fulgorque_.”

“Gesundheit.” James quipped.

“It’s the name of the plant.” Lily explained, sitting next to the twins. “Ly and Lo were telling me all about it. Apparently it glows bright pink at night!”

With a few quick shovels, Lysander carved out a small plot in the soil. Lorcan carefully removed the _Rosea Fulgorque_ from the pot and expertly transferred it to its new home.

“Um, did you get permission to plant this in our garden?” Albus asked.

“Actually, it’s a gift from our mum.” Lysander replied serenely.

The Potters shared a look. “Yup, that tracks.” James concluded.

Lorcan patted the soil around the plant, ensuring that it was firmly rooted. “Ta-da! One pink pinecone fully installed.”

The _Rosea Fulgorque_ looked out of place among the otherwise typical garden, but it did add a fun pop of color. Melanie thought she could see it give off a faint pink glow.

“I’m glad to see you both,” she said earnestly, sitting next to the plant, “but I had no idea you were coming here for dinner.”

Lorcan and Lysander groaned. “Neither did we, until about twelve minutes ago.” said Lorcan. “Dad handed us the _Rosea Fulgorque_ and announced we were going to eat at the Potters.”

“Personally, I think he exploded dinner again and was too embarrassed to tell us.” Lysander mused.

Melanie blinked. “Does your dad, er, often cause dinners to explode?”

“It’s a weekly occurrence.” Lorcan confirmed. “Everyone in the family is rubbish at cooking, it’s a miracle we’re all still alive—oh! Hi dad!”

Rolf Scamander stood in the back door, smiling at what he overheard. His features were reminiscent of his late grandfather’s: tall, lanky, and a bit disheveled in attire. The similarities between him and Lysander were uncanny, though he did share Lorcan’s smile. “Just letting you kids know that dinner’s ready! And I promise that I had no part in making it.”

All of the kids got up and made a beeline for the back door, guided by the smells of roast beef and potatoes.

“So that’s my dad,” Lorcan explained as he and Melanie walked through the back door. “He and my mum are both magizoologists, which means they’re both really weird.”

“At least we know where you and Lysander come from.” Melanie teased. Lorcan grinned in response.

They sat next to each other at the dining table, which had been magically expanded to accommodate the Scamander family. The table held a large buffet of mouth-watering dishes, including the aforementioned roast beef and potatoes, a fragrant curry, Shepherd’s Pie, and a sizable serving of mac and cheese. Ten plates had been arranged around the edges of the table, complete with cutlery sets and cloth napkins. Despite the fine settings and silverware, the atmosphere still felt rustic and cosy.

Albus slid in the chair left of Lorcan. “I’m glad your family came over. Mum and dad always cook the best food when we have guests.”

“What about me?” asked Melanie. “Aren’t I technically a guest?”

“That’s different. Since you’ll be here for the whole summer, I don’t think you can be considered a guest anymore, which means they don’t have to impress you with their cooking.”

“I’m no longer considered a guest?” Melanie teased. “Fine by me. Now I don’t have to worry about my table manners during dinner.”

“Oh.” Lorcan had already stuffed his napkin into his shirt, making him look five years younger. “Do people actually pay attention to table manners?”

Albus and Melanie snorted with laughter. “Who raised you?”

“Again—magizoologists!” Lorcan used his thumb to point to the right.

Sitting on Melanie’s right hand side was Luna Scamander, utterly oblivious to their conversation. It was immediately apparent that Lorcan took after his mother, though she had a calmer disposition than her son. She looked quite peculiar in her loud orange dress covered with swathes of white daisies, also with a napkin tucked into her collar.

Once everyone was seated around the table, dinner began in earnest. The Scamanders were well acquainted with the chaos of Potter dinners and showed no mercy in grabbing food for their plates. Overwhelmed with all of the arms swinging over the table, Melanie decided to wait on filling her plate, taking the time to observe the dining room in action.

Left of Albus sat Lysander, who was lecturing a disengaged James on the difference between Wiggentrees and Alihotsy trees. He aspired to be a naturalist like his mother and took pride in reciting minute details about magical plants, much to the dismay of his listeners. Harry, Ginny, and Rolf Scamander sat across the room, discussing the recent personnel changes at the Ministry of Magic. None of them appeared to be pleased with the changes, as they debated the particulars with tight-lipped expressions. On Melanie’s right side, Luna was dazzling Lily with her latest adventures in tracking the Crumple Horned Snorkack, whatever that was.

For the first time, Melanie felt herself relaxing at dinner. The Scamander family added a casual tone to the atmosphere, far different from the formal politeness Melanie suffered through when talking with Harry and Ginny Potter. 

“I’m a little upset with you.” Lorcan said to Melanie while cutting into his roast beef. “You never responded back to my letter!”

“What letter?”

Lorcan grew puzzled. “I sent you a letter three days ago. There’s no way you could’ve missed it, I stuffed it into a rainbow envelope!”

“I definitely wouldn’t have missed that.” affirmed Melanie, helping herself to roast potatoes. “I don’t think your letter made it.”

“You’re kidding!” Lorcan smacked his forehead. “It’s that dumb firedrake training. Dad thinks he can train them to deliver letters faster than owls. We have a brood of firedrakes in the sanctuary right now, he must’ve used my letter as practice.”

Melanie thought back to her third-year Care of Magical Creatures class. “Don’t firedrakes, um, catch on fire?”

Lorcan grumbled. “I’m never trusting Dad with any of my letters again. But now that I’m here, I can just ask you in person.” He turned his whole body towards Melanie, giving his full attention. “Now level with me: what’s it like living with the Potters?”

He seemed so eager for juicy gossip, Melanie felt a little bad in disappointing him. “It’s been pretty quiet here. Albus’s parents work during the day, so we’ve just been hang out around the house.”

“Melanie, please. I’ve been stuck with my weird family for a week. I need some excitement!”

She thought about her past week. “Well, I did go through initiation. That was pretty intense.”

“What!” Lorcan stabbed his potatoes with his fork, causing a wedge to fly off his plate. “You got to go through their Initiation? They’ve always said it’s off-limits for non relatives!”

“Really? They made me do it the night I arrived.” said Melanie. “I’m guessing it was so they could make fun of me as soon as possible. Believe me, it’s not worth it. You know they make you fly through a blizzard?”

Lorcan shook his head. “I don’t know anything about the Initiation, they’re usually hush-hush about it. Albus must really like you if he convinced James and Lily to let you go through Initiation. Or,” his tone became devious, “maybe he assumed you’d become a relative in the future. A _close_ relative, if you know what I mean.”

Horrified, Melanie checked to make sure Albus hadn’t overheard. Thankfully, he had entered the Wiggentree vs. Alihotsy debate with Lysander and was fully distracted.

“Lo! You can’t say things like that!” she hissed.

“Come on!” Lorcan groaned. “You’ve been living in the same house for a week, something must’ve happened by now.”

Melanie couldn’t roll her eyes hard enough. “We’re just friends! First James, now you—why is up with everyone trying to ship us together?”

“Because neither of you will admit that you like each other!”

“Ew! I don’t like Albus!”

“What are you two talking about?” Albus asked, catching his name.

“Nothing!” Melanie said a little too quickly. “Just—you know—telling Lorcan about the Initiation.”

Much to her relief, Lorcan didn’t contradict her. “Yeah! You let Melanie try it before Ly and me, even though we’ve been bothering you about it for years?”

Lorcan rambled on to Albus about the injustice, allowing Melanie to collect her thoughts. The old anxieties of living at the Potters came rushing back: did everyone think she and Albus were an item? What would his parents think? Why couldn’t things just say simple?

Melanie became aware of a pair of silver eyes staring at her. Turning towards them, she caught Luna Scamander regarding her with a pensive expression.

“Hullo Melanie.” greeted Luna, distant but pleasant. “Did you know that your head is full of wrackspurts?” She peered at Melanie with the interest of an artist, or perhaps a mad scientist. “You have a lot of them for someone so young. Almost as much as Harry did when he was your age.”

This was a rather strange introduction. “Sorry? What are wrackspurts?”

“They’re invisible creatures that float into your head and make your brain go fuzzy.” Luna explained patiently. “They tend to flock towards troubled minds. It’s a very unpleasant cycle, you see. The more negative thoughts you have, the more wrackspurts are attracted to you, which only creates even more negative thoughts.”

Melanie didn’t like where this was going. “If Wrackspurts are invisible,” she asked defensively, “how can you tell I’ve got them?”

Luna’s expression grew soft. “Your eyes. They look out of place in homes.”

Well, damn. It had taken approximately ten seconds for Luna Scamander to see right through Melanie. She still had no idea what wrackspurts were, but the truth behind the statements was too heavy to ignore. A small part of her was impressed with Luna’s intuition.

“Is there a way to get rid of wrackspurts?” Melanie asked quietly.

“I find that thinking positive thoughts gets rid of them nicely.” answered Luna. “Wrackspurts are quite defenseless against them.”

Luna would’ve made an excellent life coach, Melanie decided. Millennial Muggles would worship her intuitive, quirky character.

“You said that Harry also had a lot of wrackspurts?” Melanie clarified.

Luna reminisced on her past. “Sixth year was exceptionally bad. That poor boy was so in love with Ginny, yet he hardly knew it. Wrackspurts especially enjoy feeding off of lovesick minds.”

Melanie’s eyes widened at this old gossip. Imagining Harry Potter as a lovestruck teenager was both hilarious and disturbing.

“But they’ve never left his head completely,” Luna murmured, as if talking to herself. There was a touch of concern in her brows, nearly imperceptible to anyone not paying close attention. “Something is preventing them from leaving.”

An idea formed in Melanie’s mind. “Ms. Scamander?”

“Luna, please.”

Melanie hesitated, feeling silly about voicing her thoughts out loud, but she forged ahead. “Luna, can you tell if Ms. Potter has wrackspurts in her brain?”

Luna glanced over at her old classmate and dear friend. Ginny Potter was conveying her opinions to Rolf Scamander with animated gestures, apparently passionate about the topic of conversation.

“Even Harry hasn’t asked that before.” Luna mused. “I suppose he assumed that Ginny wouldn’t have any wrackspurts, which is exactly what Ginny would also believe.”

“But you don’t agree.” inferred Melanie.

Luna’s smile was almost wistful. “Some people spend their whole lives suppressing their own wrackspurts. But they can’t keep it up forever.”

Melanie turned back to her plate feeling slightly melancholic. Her assumption regarding Ginny Potter had been correct, though the reality was perhaps much sadder than she’d anticipated. Could Ginny Potter’s wrackspurts be the explanation behind her chilly politeness towards Melanie?

She didn’t have much time to consider this question. “FIRE!” Lily shrieked, frantically pointing at the open back window. Astounded, Melanie whipped her head towards where Lily was pointing; sure enough, a fiery ball roughly the size of a basketball was spiraling towards them with alarming velocity.

Everyone at the dinner table scrambled into action. Lysander and James, who were sitting nearest to the back window, jumped out of their seats and dove for cover. Albus tripped over Lorcan’s chair while hurrying around the table, accidentally shoving Lorcan out of his chair and toppling over several glasses. Luna grabbed her wand from behind her ear and cast a shield charm to protect Melanie and Lily from the flying shards of glass. Harry, Ginny, and Rolf whipped out their wands and began casting spells towards the window, but it was all in vain. The temperature sharply rose as the fiery ball soared into the dining room and magnificently crash landed onto the table.

Food dishes and plates exploded around the room in a chaotic mess. Melanie was protected by the shield charm, but a large bowl of mashed potatoes sailed through the air and splatted Lorcan in the face. Lysander toppled into the table and dragged the tablecloth with him, causing all the silverware to clang against the ground in a racket. Several napkins had caught on fire and threatened to spread to the entire room.

“Aguamenti!” Rolf shouted, pointing his wand at the source. A jet of water streamed out of his wand, but his poor aim caused the water to hit James square in the face. “Whoops, my bad!”

He redirected his wand and, with the help of Harry and Ginny, quickly put out the fire. They could all finally see it’s source: a small winged lizard, no larger than Melanie’s forearm, clutching a charred rainbow envelope in its claws.

Lorcan wiped the mashed potatoes from his eyes. “That’s my letter! It finally made it!”

The drenched firedrake chirped meekly, looking rather pitiful with water dripping from its body.

“I’m so sorry little friend!” Rolf Scamander apologized profusely, running around the table towards the firedrake. “I didn’t mean to scare you like that.”

James wrung out his sopping wet shirt. “Also got soaked here, but you know, I’m fine.”

The firedrake nudged the burnt letter towards Melanie, who was struck by the recognition in its wide, glassy eyes. Her heart went out for this little creature who had tried so hard to deliver her letter. Without thinking, she held out a hand towards the firedrake

All of the adults (save Luna) reacted in alarm, but Melanie was already stroking the firedrake’s head. It hummed in response and nudged its head into her hand.

“Ooo, she likes you.” Luna said happily to Melanie. The firedrake started thumping her tail, as if in agreement with Luna’s statement.

“Remarkable!” Rolf breathed a sigh of relief. “You’d be suffering from serious burns if you tried that with any other firedrake.” He already had a notepad out and was furiously taking notes.

The firedrake stretched out her wings and opened her mouth in a wide yawn. Melanie felt a spark of kinship with the little creature.

“She should stay with you.” Luna stated, as if nothing were more natural in the world.

Melanie wasn’t sure she heard correctly. “Wait, what?”

Rolf was positively delighted. “What a wonderful idea! Firedrakes can respond well to deep human connections. It looks like this one has already singled you out as her companion.”

The firedrake’s tail sparked with a tiny flame. Everyone around the table instinctively backed away.

“It can’t be worse than James’s first owl,” Ginny joked, trying to break the tension. “Remember when we had to rescue him from the fireplace?”

Harry cleared his throat. “Rolf, you know I’m fond of magical pets—but are firedrakes safe to have in the house?”

Rolf looked positively aghast. “Firedrakes aren’t pets! That’s why so many people had problems with them. They have to be treated as equals.”

Melanie’s mind was spinning in circles. “With all due respect, I don’t know if I’m the right person. I don’t know the first thing about caring for firedrakes. Wouldn’t she be much happier with you?”

“Not necessarily.” Rolf countered. “We have so many creatures in our sanctuary, it’s hard to give them all the individual attention they need. This firedrake has lived her whole life in captivity, so releasing her back into the wild isn’t an option. A permanent home with a partner is the best-case scenario for this firedrake.”

“Having a partner would be very beneficial,” Luna continued, “and I think this is an excellent match.”

Luna regarded Melanie with a curious expression. With a start, Melanie realized that she wasn’t talking about the firedrake.

“And of course, you could always ask for help from my wife and me.” Rolf offered. He, along with everyone else in the room, looked at Melanie expectantly.

It felt impossible to say no given the circumstances, but how could she possibly refuse? It seemed silly to admit, but she felt an inexplicable connection with the firedrake. Taking care of her, though daunting, sounded right in an unexpected way.

“Alright.” Melanie agreed, grinning despite herself. “Why not?”

There was a smattering of applause and “congratulations” from around the table at the impromptu scene. All of the kids leaned in to the table to get a better look at the newest member of the family.

“Seriously,” James interrupted, still wringing out his shirt, “this is cute and all, but could someone please dry my clothes?”


	6. The Naming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie and company try to come up with a name for the firedrake. The wizarding kids discover what first aid is.

Following the firedrake’s abrupt interruption of dinner, the kids decided to head outside before the adults tasked them with cleaning up the dining room. Armed with a magically expanded picnic basket filled with blankets, games, and an unhealthy stash of Mars Bars, the group embarked on a hike up Sunset Hill.

With rolling green slopes, soaring bluffs, and wild honeysuckles amplifying the orange glow of the sunset, Melanie couldn’t imagine a more charming landscape. Underneath the weathered oak tree that stood guard at the top of the hill, the kids set up a sitting area and settled into their own activities. Albus and Lysander faced off in a blindfolded match of Wizard Chess (quote Lysander: “it’s not a challenge otherwise!”). Meanwhile, Lily and James egged each other on in a climbing contest up the oak tree, causing several branches to fall and hit an unsuspecting Lorcan, who was trying to construct a fairy house out of rocks and sticks.

The firedrake had eagerly followed Melanie and the group, quickly recovering from her ordeal and happily flying overhead. Away from the dinner chaos, Melanie finally got a chance to examine her firedrake properly. She had the proportions of a dragon shrunk down to miniature size, with copper-toned scales and bat-like wings. Her long tail was predisposed to sparking on fire, especially when receiving head scratches from Melanie. She lay curled up next to Melanie and hummed with delight, not unlike a cat being petted by their owner. 

“So what are you gonna name her?” asked Lily, hanging upside down from a tree branch.

“I have no idea.” Melanie admitted, absentmindedly petting the firedrake. “I tried coming up with one during the walk here, but I’m blanking. Anyone else got a suggestion?”

“Ooo!” James swung down from the tree and landed right next to Melanie. “I’ve got the perfect name. We’re looking for something grand and spectacular, but also timeless. Something that makes her seem all powerful.” He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “And, something that’s completely original. I guarantee nobody’s named their firedrake this before.”

“Just spit it out already!” Lily complained. Lorcan looked up from his fairy house construction, also invested in the conversation.

James dramatically held his arms out towards the firedrake. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce: Godzilla, Destroyer of Worlds!”

Silence settled over the group. The firedrake gave a low grumble, sounding displeased.

Lorcan broke the awkward silence. “I’m sorry James, but that’s the worst name I’ve ever heard.”

“It’s truly horrible.” Lily agreed. “Besides, she’s a girl firedrake! You can’t name a female firedrake Godzilla!”

“Are you kidding me?” James waved his hands in frustration. “I thought this was a slam dunk! Who doesn’t want a firedrake named Godzilla? And it can totally be a girl’s name!”

“Maybe Godzilla is a gender-neutral term.” Albus called over from the chess game. “Who are we to deny the existence of a female Godzilla?”

“I’ve never heard of a ‘Godzilla’ before.” Lysander interjected. “Is it a rare magical creature?”

Lorcan groaned. “Don’t you ever pay attention during movie nights?”

“You have movie nights?” asked Melanie, bewildered at this new information.

“Hey now, us wizarding folk aren’t completely isolated from the muggle world!” James defended. “Dad’s got a TV and a small VHS collection. Last summer we discovered that he had a copy of the original Godzilla movie, the Japanese version from 1954. I invited Lorcan and Lysander because the VHS cover looked super weird, so I figured the movie would be right up their alley.”

“And it was! I was scared the whole time.” Lorcan admitted. “I told mum and dad about it, and they thought that Godzilla might be based on the Japanese Thunderwing dragon.”

“Oh, you should’ve just said that, I know what Japanese Thunderwings are.” Lysander said, commanding his knight to destroy Albus’s rook before continuing. “Post WWII, all of the radioactivity in Japan broke down a lot of magical barriers, so the Muggle world experienced a lot of magical creature sightings. There’s a specific case of a Japanese Thunderwing nearly threatening the secrecy of Mahoutokoro Wizarding School.”

Lorcan blinked at his twin brother. “How did you know all of that?”

Lysander sighed. “Don’t you ever pay attention in History of Magic classes?”

“We’re getting off topic.” James interrupted, facing Melanie and the firedrake. “So how about it? Can we call your firedrake Godzilla?”

Melanie grimaced. “I’m not great with names, but even I know that’s a rubbish name.”

James sighed dramatically. “A tough crowd, but no matter. Someday you’ll agree with me.”

“Oooh!” Lily exclaimed, flipping off of the branch and landing gracefully. “I always like using food names for animals. Brown scales, sweet natured around Melanie, but can burn you if you’re not careful—I’ve got it!” she clapped her hands enthusiastically. “How about Cinnamon?”

Lorcan looked quizzically at Lily. “How did that list of qualities become ‘Cinnamon’?”

“Cinnamon is brown, sweet, and a little spicy! Spice, burns, close enough.”

James shook his head. “You want to name the firedrake after a kitchen spice?”

“Honestly, Cinnamon’s not a bad option.” Melanie admitted. “It’s at least better than ‘Godzilla’.”

“Hey! I stand by that suggestion!”

Melanie turned to Lorcan. “Do you have any thoughts?”

He beamed at the prospect. “Lucky for you, I’ve got plenty of ideas! What kind of name are you looking for: funny or serious? Unique or more traditional?”

“Um, what exactly is a traditional name for a firedrake?”

“First, let me take a closer look.” Lorcan scooted closer to Melanie and reached out his hand to pet the firedrake. “I want to gather some inspiration from her personality.”

Melanie glanced at Lorcan’s outstretched hand. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Sure I do!” Lorcan dismissed Melanie’s concerns. “I help dad out with the firedrakes all the time. This one has been with us for a few weeks, she knows who I am.”

The firedrake rose her head and stared at Lorcan, her tail twitching in anticipation.

“See? She knows me!” Lorcan brought his hand closer, millimeters away from the firedrakes back. “Now I just have to wait a few more seconds, and—”

“Lorcan!” Melanie warned, but it was too late. The firedrake whipped her tail with lightning speed and scorched Lorcan’s outstretched palm. 

“YEOUCH!” He howled, clutching his hand to his chest. “I don’t remember their tails being that hot!”

Melanie hastily grabbed his wrist and inspected his hand, noting the deep, inflamed lash cutting across the palm.

“Ooooo, that doesn’t look so good.” Lily grimaced. James went deathly pale at the sight of Lorcan’s hand.

“We need to run your hand under some cold water.” Melanie instructed, her mind kicking into action. “Shoot, did anyone bring water?”

Lorcan nodded, clenching his teeth from the pain. “I brought water bottles in the picnic basket.”

Melanie whipped her head around, catching sight of the picnic basket sitting right next to Albus and Lysander, who were thoroughly engrossed in their blindfolded Wizard Chess match. “Albus! Can you bring the picnic basket over here?”

“I’m trying to keep the blindfold on as long as possible.” Albus responded, barely paying attention. “Otherwise I forfeit the game!”

“Who cares about the game?” Lily yelled at them. “Lorcan burned his hand!”

“What!” Lysander ripped off the blindfold and stumbled towards his twin, blinking at the sudden change in light. “Lo, what did you do?”

Lorcan tried moving his hand out of everyone’s sight. “It’s nothing! I got too close to the firedrake! Ow, except I can’t move my hand at all.”

“Should we take him back to the cottage?” Albus asked worriedly, picnic basket in tow. “Ms. Scamander is pretty good at healing magic. And I’m sure mum and dad have some potions for at-home healing treatments—”

Melanie grabbed Albus’s arm to shake him out of his stress. “Slow down! It’ll take at least twenty minutes to get back to the cottage, which is way too long. Besides, we don’t need magic to heal this properly.”

Lorcan’s face grew paler by the second. “Uh, what are you going to do if you’re not using magic?”

“Don’t worry, I’m first aid certified.” Melanie held out a hand towards Albus. “Water, now.”

A shocked Albus quickly opened up the picnic basket and handed her a water bottle. “What’s ‘first aid’?”

“You don’t know what first aid is? Never mind, I’ll explain later.” Melanie unscrewed the cap off of the water bottle and held it over Lorcan’s hand. “Okay, this is going to sting a bit, but I promise you’ll feel better.”

This did not reassure Lorcan. “What are you planning on—ahhh owie owie ouch!”

Melanie slowly poured water over the burn to cool it off, firmly gripping Lorcan’s wrist so that he wouldn’t pull away. Everyone else gasped in horror (except James, who had scooted far away and was incapable of making any sound), but Melanie stuck to her treatment. Once the water bottle was empty, Melanie tossed it aside and examined his hand again. She was pleased to see that the skin wasn’t turning white. 

“Looks like it’s just a first-degree burn.” Melanie told Lorcan. “Which is good, those are the easiest to treat. This is the worst part of the treatment, but it’s necessary.

Lorcan tried wiggling his hand away from Melanie, causing her to tighten her grip.

“Is there any more water?” she asked Albus, who was frozen at the spot.

“Oh! Yeah!” Albus took out another water bottle. “There’s five more bottles in here.”

To Lorcan’s dismay, Melanie grabbed the next water bottle and continued pouring water over his burn. Yet by the fourth bottle of water, Lorcan realized that his hand did look and feel considerably better. The inflammation went down, leaving a still-pink-but-cooled-off burn. He stopped fighting against Melanie and allowed her to continue pouring more water. 

“Is there a clean cloth in the picnic basket?” Melanie asked while unscrewing the last bottle of water.

Albus dug through the basket. “Does a Mars Bars wrapper work? Otherwise, no.”

Her mind whirring on autopilot, Melanie reached for the bottom of her t-shirt. She’d snagged it on a bush earlier in the afternoon, leaving a tiny hole. With an expert tug, she ripped off the hem of her t-shirt to create an inch-wide strip of fabric.

“Merlin’s beard!” Lily gaped, but Melanie didn’t hear. She soaked the cloth with the last water bottle, wrung it out, then gingerly wrapped it around Lorcan’s burn like a bandage.

“Keep this on your hand for twenty minutes.” she instructed. “Make sure the cloth is compressed onto the burn, though not too tight. The cloth isn’t perfectly sterile, but it should do the job.”

Melanie finally let go of her focus on Lorcan’s hand. To her embarrassment, everyone’s eyes were fixed on to her. Lily and Lorcan were staring like she was the lead in a riveting soap opera, Lysander was literally taking notes, James was still a good distance away but his face wasn’t as pale, and Albus—he was utterly spellbound.

“That was SO COOL!” Lily gushed. “I didn’t know you were a Muggle Healer!”

Melanie shook her head. “This is just basic Muggle first-aid. Like, typical care you’d give for common injuries. It’s not that special.”

“She’s right,” Lysander agreed. “That did seem pretty basic, no offense. But perhaps that’s a good thing. It’s not smart to depend on magic and potions for everything.”

“That felt like sorcery to me.” Lorcan held up his hand. “It feels loads better, and all you used was water and a cloth! Of course we’re impressed!”

Albus nodded in agreement, his eyes sparkling. “The way you took charge, making sure Lo’s hand was okay—it was the work of a professional.”

Melanie avoided his gaze. “You all need to stop complimenting me every time I do something. I’m not used to all of this positivity.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t hear anything from James.” Albus nodded towards his older brother.

James’s face was as white as a sheet. “I’ll just—you know—stay back here.”

“Is he okay?” Melanie asked, concerned by his appearance.

Lily snickered. “James is squeamish when it comes to injuries. Like, ‘faints at the sight of blood’ squeamish.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh yeah,” Albus confirmed. “Lily and I were super cruel about it when we were younger. Whenever we wanted to prank him, we’d use fake blood on ourselves. Worked every time! Naturally, mum and dad made us put an end to it.”

“But it’s easy to poke fun at him every so often.” Lily grinned wickedly.

“Ha ha,” James responded, inching a little bit closer to the group. “I don’t like seeing people injured, what’s wrong with that? Plus, didn’t want to also get blasted by the firedrake.”

In her haste to treat Lorcan, Melanie completely forgot about the firedrake perched on her shoulder. The firedrake remained relatively unperturbed, choosing instead to sleep peacefully through all of the hubbub.

“The firedrake must really like you!” Lily said in awe. “She’s like a super overprotective mini-dragon. Where can I get one?”

“Ask Lorcan to send you some mail.” Melanie joked, and everyone laughed. The firedrake hummed in agreement.

“Hold on! I got it!” Lorcan clapped his hands together, then grimaced in pain. “Ow ow ow, shouldn’t have done that. But I know how to name your firedrake!”

Lysander frowned.“Don’t you mean what to name the firedrake?”

Lorcan grinned, his eyes bugging out in excitement. “Nope! I do mean how. We’re going about this the wrong way. I could come up with the greatest name, but it still wouldn’t be the right name—because the name has to come from Melanie.”

Melanie remained unconvinced. “Hang on. Even if you all come up with ideas and I choose one of those names, that won’t count?”

“Hm, probably not.” Lysander adjusted his glasses. “Names carry power, especially in the Wizarding world. I wouldn’t be surprised if magical creatures insisted on being given the proper name by those they feel kinship with.”

“Oh, I get it!” James chimed in. “Like, it would be weird if you had a kid but some other random person named them. It makes sense that parents are supposed to name their own children. If I had a firedrake, he would totally be named ‘Godzilla, Destroyer of Worlds’. But it’s your firedrake, so alas, that’s not the right name for her.”

Damn. This turn of events was not favorable for Melanie. “Fine. I’ll keep thinking about it, though it’ll be a while before I come up with something good.

“You don’t have to come up with one right this minute.” Albus reassured Melanie. “I’m sure you’ll find a good name when the time is right.”

“Ooo!” Lily interrupted, grabbed everyone’s attention by pulling frantically at Lysander’s sleeve (much to his annoyance). “Everyone! Look at the sunset!”

During her time at the Potter’s cottage, Melanie hadn’t managed to catch a sunset on Sunset Hill. Albus had said it was the best landscape in all of England, and his assurance did not disappoint. The sun covered the landscape with swathes of golden light, contrasting beautifully with the rolling green meadows and the crystal clear lake. A gentle breeze blew through the grass and trees, making the world look like a living, breathing painting.

Melanie and everyone else were utterly mesmerized by the stunning view. No one dared to speak, lest they broke the peace settling over the land. They simply sat together underneath the oak tree, watching the sun slowly return to the earth.

“You know what?” Lorcan whispered, grinning madly. “I think this is going to be the best summer yet.”

* * *

As twilight crept over the meadow, the kids packed up the picnic and made their way back to the cottage, scarfing down as many Mars Bars as they could. Upon their return, all of the adults swarmed around Lorcan’s injured hand, much to Lorcan’s dismay and embarrassment. After satisfying themselves that Lorcan’s hand was in no immediate danger (Luna was particularly impressed with Melanie’s quick thinking), the Scamanders bid farewell to the Potters and returned home via the Floo Network.

The Potters decided to have a quiet night, each of them engaging in their own activity for the evening. Melanie decided to turn in early, grateful for the chance to recuperate in her own room. The Potter family dynamic was definitely meant for strong extroverts, leaving Melanie with hardly any time to herself.

Her room was a welcome haven, featuring aged wood-paneling and cozy quilts that lent it a rustic charm. Yet her favorite part was the wonderfully fluffy carpet, though she was nervous about spilling anything on the egg-shell white color. The huge bookshelf was also a plus, with its random assortment of magical self-help books, odd figurines, and vintage Chocolate Frog cards.

She lay sprawled out on the carpet, fully engrossed in a copy of _A Magical Guide to Easy Baking_ when a gentle knock on the door interrupted her reading. “Mel? Can I come in?”

There was only one person who shortened her name like that. “Sure, Albus.”

He entered the room carefully carrying two steaming mugs. “I thought you might want some hot cocoa. I know you like adding caramel, but we didn’t have any caramel syrup, so I tried melting caramel sweets in the microwave. Don’t know if it worked, but it smells alright?”

Melanie softened at his kind gesture. She gratefully accepted her mug and slowly took a small sip. It was quite delicious, nearly as good as the cocoa at Hogwarts.

“I see your firedrake has taken over your bed.” Albus remarked, sitting next to Melanie on the carpet. The firedrake had claimed Melanie’s pillow as her own and sat quite contentedly on it.

“I don’t think I’m ever getting that pillow back.” Melanie joked, and Albus laughed. “Thanks for the hot cocoa. Was that why you came up here?”

Albus sipped on his mug. “I wanted to see how you were doing. You were pretty quiet on the walk back home.”

There was no escaping her friend’s caring observations. “I’m fine, honest. Still trying to figure out what to name my firedrake.”

“Any new ideas?”

Melanie’s face flushed. “Actually, I already have an idea. Even before Lily asked me on Sunset Hill.”

Albus nearly choked on his cocoa. “You what? Why did you ask us for suggestions? We could’ve all been spared James’s ‘Godzilla’ idea.”

“Because,” sighed Melanie, “I was hoping you all would come up with something else, so I wouldn’t have to use my idea.”

An awkward silence settled in the room, punctuated by the firedrake’s sizzling tail. “Now I’m confused.” Albus admitted. “You have a name, but you don’t want to use it?”

Melanie groaned, staring down at her hot cocoa. “I’m explaining it all wrong. Never mind, it’s not that important.”

“Hey.” Albus put a hand on Melanie’s shoulder, forcing her to focus on him. “That doesn’t sound like it’s not important. What’s this about, really?”

Her stomach squirmed. “It’s going to sound stupid.”

“Mel, you’ve told me so many dumb things about yourself, I don’t think you could say anything worse.”

“What!”

“You literally caught a Christmas tree on fire! And you spent a night in the Hogwarts infirmary after making tea from _Alihotsy_ leaves, laughing like a maniac the whole time.”

Melanie punched Albus in the arm. “You promised to never bring that up!”

Albus merely sipped his cocoa, looking rather pleased with himself. “I’m just saying, you have nothing more to lose from looking stupid.”

“Fine,” she huffed, “I’ll try to explain it.” She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. “Do you remember when I asked about your name for the first time?”

This took Albus by surprise. “In Potions class? You mean the first time you said more than two words to me?”

“I never claimed to be an overall agreeable person.”

“You most certainly weren't.” Albus smirked. “Do you remember what you said to me?”

Melanie cringed at the memory. “That was not my finest moment.”

Unfortunately, Albus’s recollection was completely accurate. It was early October, several weeks after Melanie and Albus had been seated next to each other in Potions. Having to sit with one of the most famous students at Hogwarts was a nightmare, but even worse, he was far too friendly for her liking. He’d kept trying to initiate small talk when all she wanted to do was complete her potion in silence.

Yet she couldn’t help but observe her class partner. For someone who was well known throughout the entire school, Albus did his best to blend in. He kept his head down and never drew attention to himself if he could help it. In fact, the only other time he spoke in class were to answer the Professor’s questions.

But what puzzled her the most was how Albus’s shoulders would tense up during roll call, when the Professor said his name outloud. The casual observer wouldn’t have noticed, but Melanie saw it happen at every single Potions class. After weeks of wondering, her curiosity got the better of her.

“You don’t like your name” she’d said to Albus as he arrived to class, speaking to him for the very first time.

He dropped his cauldron on the ground in complete shock. “What did you say?”

“You don’t like your name.” Melanie repeated, stating it as a fact.

Albus blinked at his Potions partner, as if not believing what was happening. Finally, his shoulders slumped. “Well, I wouldn’t say that I dislike my name, but I don’t love it either.”

Melanie smirked, her conclusions affirmed. “I’m not surprised.”

“Sorry?”

“I mean, ‘Albus’ is a ridiculous name. I get that you’re named after the previous headmaster and all, but come on. What kind of parents would choose such a weird, old name for their child?”

Albus’s stared at her in bewilderment, his face flushed deep red. A small voice in Melanie’s head told her that she’d crossed a line, but she couldn’t muster enough energy to care. Sensing that he wasn’t going to answer anytime soon, she turned back to her own cauldron.

“I’ve wondered that too.” he said after a minute “I think that people choose names for their own reasons. My parents wanted my name to honor the past.”

A stunned Melanie looked up to face Albus. His expression was calm and steady, quite the opposite from how he normally seemed. He took a deep breath as he finished his answer. “Unfortunately, children usually don’t get a say in the matter.” Then he turned to focus on his cauldron, unwilling to meet her gaze.

Melanie couldn’t think of anything to say, so she turned back to her textbook and buried her head into the table of contents. Yet Albus’s words kept ringing in her head, slowly but surely altering her perception of the Potter boy.

“Mel? Are you still here?” Current-day Albus waved his hand across Melanie’s face. She was back in the guest bedroom, freshly out of her trip down memory lane.

“I was recalling how rude I was to you.” Melanie said, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t have asked you so bluntly.”

He waved off her apology. “We’ve talked about this before. I was honestly more shocked that you decided to talk to me at all.”

“And I was shocked that you managed to respond with a thoughtful answer.” Melanie admitted. “That’s why I kept talking to you after that. I realized that you were far smarter and more complex than I initially thought.”

“I’m flattered, but I don’t see how this relates to the firedrake.”

“I’m getting to that. What I mean to say is that you (and James and Lily) were saddled with a name you didn’t have any choice over, something that meant a lot to your parents but is meaningless for you. It’s fair for you to be a little annoyed about that.” Her ears reddened as she forced herself to continue talking. “But when I was thinking about a name for the firedrake, the only thing I could come up with was a name from my own past. And I couldn’t help but feel like I was doing the same exact thing your parents did for you. I know that naming a firedrake isn’t the same thing as naming a child, because the firedrake probably won’t even care about the source of the name—”

“But you thought I would.” Albus finished. “You thought that naming the firedrake from your past would somehow upset me.” His eyes widened as he finally comprehended his friend’s meaning. “You didn’t want to hurt me.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with feeling. Melanie hid behind her cocoa mug, wanting to shrink inside herself, because it had sounded so much better in her head but saying it out loud made her sound ridiculous. Why did she think telling Albus was a good idea?

“Al?” Melanie asked when he hadn’t said anything for a minute. “What are you thinking?”

To her complete shock, Albus started grinning from ear to ear. “That my best friend is ridiculously kind and she doesn’t even know it.”

“Excuse me? You take that back!”

He laughed at her terrified expression. “You tried to prevent hurting me for something I wasn’t even aware of, because of what I said several years ago. I’m touched by your thoughtfulness, but really, you don’t have to worry about that.”

Melanie exhaled a sigh of relief. “So you’re not upset?”

“I never got to explain myself fully.” Albus continued. “Sure my name is a little unusual, and maybe it has a complicated history, but it’s my name. I’m proud of my name, and I know that my parents had the best intentions. In the end, I get to decide how I want my name to be remembered—not my parents, and certainly not the person I was named after.”

Leave it to Albus to come up with another insightful response. He seemed far more confident and self-assured, quite unlike the boy from potions who was embarrassed to hear his name out loud.

“What was the name?” he asked, lightening the mood. “The name you chose for the firedrake?”

“Well, it’s going to sound anticlimactic after all of this,” Melanie sighed, “but I was going to name her Selwyn.”

The firedrake squawked abruptly, startling Albus and nearly causing him to spill his cocoa. Jumping to the end of the bed, the firedrake looked expectantly at Melanie, as if she’d been summoned and awaited further instruction.

“Have you already been calling her Selwyn?” Albus asked in awe. “She responded to that immediately.”

Melanie was just as shocked as him. “No, I haven’t. That’s the first time I’ve said it outloud.” Selwyn’s tail thumped against the bed eagerly.

Albus repeated the name a few more times. “Strangely, I think it’s a fitting name. But it’s not what I was expecting. How is that name related to your past?”

“It’s based off of my middle name.”

"What? But I thought you said you didn’t have one.”

Melanie looked away sheepishly. "I lied to you. You first asked about my middle name early in our friendship. I wasn’t gonna share any personal details then.”

“Fair enough. So your full name is Melanie Selwyn Sullivan? I think it’s neat! It makes your name sound noble. And I like it for the firedrake too. ‘Selwyn’ has a fantasy vibe, kind of like _Lord of the Rings_.”

“You know what _Lord of the Rings_ is?”

“Of course! They’re part of my dad’s VHS collection.”

Melanie shook her head. She didn’t even know that _Lord of the Rings_ VHS tapes still existed. Imagining Harry Potter watching Lord of the Rings on the telly was a strange thought. 

“Your dad must be the only person who still uses VHS tapes.” she told Albus.

“Really? He told us that’s how all Muggles watch movies.”

“Like twenty years ago!” Melanie burst out laughing. “Oh, I have so much to teach you. We can’t have you living in the dark ages of technology.”

And so she spent the rest of the evening describing streaming services to Albus, laughing hysterically as he insisted that Netflix had to be run by American wizards, (“because how else can you access so many movies instantaneously?”) while Selwyn lazily curled up on top of Melanie’s head, content with finally being called something other than “the firedrake”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	7. A Trip to West Mirilley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie and James decide to visit the nearby muggle town. James accidentally exposes his secret.

A little over a week had passed since Melanie first arrived at the Potter cottage, and everyday she felt a little more comfortable being around the Potters. Yet it was always a relief to spend the morning by herself, enjoying breakfast while reading a book. Today Albus had accompanied his dad to work, as he was interested in shadowing various jobs at the Ministry (Harry had offered for Melanie to join them, but she couldn’t imagine a worse place to spend her morning). With Ginny at work and Lily sleeping in, her only company for the morning was Selwyn and a certain Potter sibling who kept interrupting her otherwise peaceful morning.

“For the last time, I’m not interested in losing another round of Gobstones.” Melanie said as she dug into her eggs. James sat across from her with a bag full of Gobstones and a hopeful expression, both of which she tried to ignore. “Besides, you’ve cleaned out my stash of candy bars, and I don’t have anything else to bet.”

“Come on, you’re my best rival!” He insisted. “Lily is too impatient, Albus doesn’t like playing, and my parents are hilariously bad. You’re actually halfway decent at the game.”

“Weird way to phrase it, but I suppose that’s a compliment.”

James abruptly slammed his hands on the table, causing Melanie to drop her fork. “Hold on, I’ve got a better idea. Instead of Gobstones, why don’t we head down to the Muggle town nearby and buy more Mars Bars?”

Melanie eyed him suspiciously. “You, going out into the Muggle world? Have you even been to a corner shop before?”

“Of course I have! My dad takes us to West Mirilley every so often.”

“And how many times have you gone to town without your dad?”

James’s shoulders slumped. “Well—none—but I can handle myself in the Muggle world! I even know how to count Muggle money.”

Melanie snorted. “Can’t you just go by yourself?”

“Where’s the fun in that? I’d much rather go with company.” James clasped his hands in a pleading motion. “Come on, aren’t you down for a little morning adventure?”

It looked like she wasn’t going to get rid of James anytime soon. Plus, watching him struggle in the Muggle world sounded like a recipe for disaster, and Melanie was always looking for more ways to tease Albus’s older brother. “Fine. But you’re paying, I don’t have any cash on me.”

He smirked as he held out an old wallet stuffed with notes. “Frisked it from my Dad’s study this morning. I figured I’d be able to convince you to come along.”

“Did you purposely wear me down so I’d agree to join you?”

James had already left the table and was halfway up the stairs. “Too late! No take backs! Be ready to head out in ten minutes!”

After Melanie changed out of her PJs, ensured that Selwyn had enough to eat (she was rather fond of strawberries), and left a note out for Lily in case she woke up before noon, the pair headed out on the country road to West Mirilley. It was only twenty minutes away by foot, and it felt wonderful being outside on the warm summer day, with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze rustling through the long grass. Few cars ever drove down the narrow road, lending to an atmosphere of a peaceful morning walk—that is, if Melanie hadn’t been stuck with James.

It boggled her mind how James could talk about anything and everything. Undeterred by her preference for silence, James filled the time with an endless stream of stories and commentary. She had to admit that he was a skilled conversationalist who always managed to be interesting, even about the most frivolous things.

“And that’s the reason why Professor Flitwick was covered in permanent rainbow glitter for a week.” James finished with a flourish as they walked along the side of the road.

Melanie shook her head incredulously. “So it all started because of a first year’s accidental misfire during a duelling tournament?”

James sighed wistfully. “She somehow invented a spell for releasing glitter bombs on the spot, but hasn’t been able to do it since. Pity, it’d be such a useful spell for pranks.”

“How do you know so much gossip about the Duelling Club?” Melanie asked. He had already told three juicy stories, and they’d all related to the Duelling Club one way or another. “Do you have a source from the team, or is this part of the usual gossip you come across?”

“You don’t know? I’m part of the Duelling Club.” He laughed at her shocked expression. “In fact, I’ll be Captain next year.”

“You will?”

James shrugged. “Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised you didn’t know. All of the attention is always on Quidditch. No one really cares about the other clubs at Hogwarts.”

Melanie felt a twinge of guilt. Before he mentioned it, she’d forgotten that the Duelling Club even existed. The little she did know was that the members had a reputation for being awkward, nerdy, and off-beat. It was hard to imagine James as the Captain; given his social status, she assumed he would’ve preferred to join a more glamorous club.

“Not many people outside of the club know that I’m in it.” James continued. “I don’t try to hide it, but everyone would rather talk about my pranks, my looks, or my family.”

He sounded so matter-of-fact, but Melanie’s mind was still spinning from the discrepancy between him and the Duelling Club. “How long have you been part of the club?” she asked politely.

“Professor Flitwick asked me to join during my first year when he caught me picking fights with other students, but I thought it was ‘uncool’ to join back then.” He shook his head in disappointment. “Dumbest decision I’ve ever made. I eventually got my head on straight and signed up on the first day of second year.”

James puffed out his chest. “I don’t mean to take all the credit, but the Duelling Club’s membership has doubled since I joined. Not to mention how I helped increase audience turnout for the tournaments.”

Now that he mentioned it, Melanie had noticed more people discussing the duelling tournaments. They seemed especially popular among female students. “Is that why they chose you to be Captain, because you helped recruit people?”

James flashed her a smile. “I’m flattered you think I charmed my way up to the top, but no. To be honest, I have the best duelling record out of anyone else in the club.”

Melanie raised her eyebrows in surprise. James Potter, prankster extraordinaire, was secretly a duelling champion?

“But for me, the Duelling Club isn’t about winning,” he clarified, answering Melanie’s unspoken question. “I’m not there for glory or anything. I want to improve my wandwork, and I get to hang out with a great supportive group of people. There’s nothing uncool about that.”

Hearing James talk about Duelling Club made Melanie reconsider her opinion of him. This frank openness was a new side she hadn’t seen before, and she couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Melanie?” James furrowed his brows. “You’re giving me a weird look. What is it?”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “Actually I’m pretty annoyed, but only because Albus was right about you.”

“Uh oh, what does that mean?”

“He said you were secretly a really good person underneath your loud personality.” Melanie explained. “And I didn’t believe him because I assumed you were like all of the other popular kids at Hogwarts: obsessed with your own image. But you’re not, and I’m honestly miffed.”

James burst out laughing. “I knew I could get you to tolerate me! Lily owes me 10 galleons, she thought you’d be annoyed with me the whole summer.” He remained gleeful, but his face grew serious. “And that does sound like something Albus would say. He always sees the good in everyone.”

Melanie smiled. “He really does.”

“Especially in a certain friend he invited to our house for the summer.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

She swiftly elbowed his arm in response. “Back off, or else I’ll go back to calling you ‘Potter’.”

“Oooo, I’m scared.” he teased, but he didn’t make another comment. Barely hiding his smirk, he launched into his next piece of gossip (involving the entire Hufflepuff Quidditch team and an unfortunate Blast-Ended Skrewt).

They eventually reached West Mirilley, a charming little Muggle town with picturesque shops and a lovely view of the river. Melanie jolted at the change in scenery; after spending two weeks at the Potters, it was jarring spotting adverts for Coca-Cola and reruns of The Great British Baking Show on storefront tellys. Still, Melanie had missed parts of the Muggle world.

Meanwhile, James was far too confident for her liking. “Top of the morning! I can’t wait to catch tonight’s cricket match! I wonder what the Duchess of Cambridge is up to today. Doc Martens are far out!”

Melanie rolled her eyes. “Is that how you think Muggles talk?”

“What? I thought I was spot on!”

She dragged James away from the street, spotting a well-known corner shop chain to enter. “If you’re going to keep this up, at least do so indoors where less people can hear you.”

“Fine.” James rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll wow the cashiers with my muggle-talking skills.”

Deciding that a bit of distance from the wizarding dork wouldn’t hurt, Melanie led James to the candy aisle, then wandered off in search of her own snacks. The shop was well stocked with bottles of Vimto and her favorite brand of crisps, so she picked out enough to share with the Potter siblings. When she went back to the candy aisle, she found that James already had a basket full of an impressive array of chocolate bars and sweets.

“Thank goodness you’re a better shopping partner than Albus.” James said as Melanie dumped her haul into his basket. “He tries to guilt me if I buy more than one item with Dad’s money. And Lily has awful taste, she’ll eat literally anything.”

“You have enough money to pay for all of this? I can put some of my stuff back.”

James waved off her concerns. “Trust me, my dad has an absurd amount of muggle money for a wizard.”

They lined up in the shop’s checkout queue. “Since you’re feeling so confident about your muggle skills, I’ll let you do all the talking.” Melanie proposed.

“Not a problem.” James smirked as he slicked back his brown mop of hair. “They don’t call me Mr. Charming for nothing.”

She wrinkled her nose. “See, this is why I didn’t like you before.”

“Aw, are you admitting that you like me now?”

“I thought we settled on me tolerating you.”

“Fair enough,” he conceded. “Maybe I’ll make another bet with Lily. I’m sure I can get you to admit that you like me by the end of the summer.”

Melanie raised an eyebrow. “No need to involve Lily. I’ll take that bet.”

“It’s a deal!” James used his free hand to shake on it.

They moved up to the front of the queue, where an open cashier smiled at them. “I can help you over here!”

Melanie waited for James to take the lead, but he didn’t start moving. In fact, he’d stopped completely in his tracks, with his mouth slightly agape and a dazed expression.

She waited for a few seconds before saying anything. “You there?”

He snapped out of his frozen state, his ears turning bright red. “Oh, yeah! Um. I’m fine, it’s whatever, you know?”

Confused, Melanie followed his line of sight. In front of them was the waiting cashier: a tall, dark-skinned teenage girl with black wavy hair and a big smile. Even though she was stuck wearing the red tacky shop uniform, she still looked rather charming and sweet.

Meanwhile, James’s face grew redder by the second. Realizing what was happening, Melanie fought every instinct to not burst out laughing. James Potter, the Hogwarts heartthrob, flustered in the presence of a cute muggle cashier! This was far better than any disaster she could’ve hoped for.

Behind them in the queue, a grumpy man in corporate attire cleared his throat. “You’re holding up the line, get a move on!”

“Oh, shove off.” Melanie snapped as she dragged James towards the cashier, whose nametag read “Devi” in all caps.

“Did you find everything okay?” Devi asked kindly as she took the grocery basket from James.

“Uh, yup!” James stuttered, a little too fast. “I got—all of the Mars Bars. And—some fruity soda. My favorite.”

Melanie cringed at his awkward response, but Devi smiled good naturedly. “Glad to hear it. Any fun plans for the weekend?”

James’s ears were practically burning red. “My family’s gonna watch the big Quid—er, cricket match. On the telly.”

“The Lancashire vs. India National Team match?” Devi asked excitedly. “Me too! I’m rooting for Lancashire, but my parents prefer the India team. I bet it’s going to be a real gritty game.”

Unsure how to respond, James managed to numbly nod while Devi scanned and bagged the items in no time. “Your total comes to £9.27.” she said, flashing James another smile.

Melanie watched with amusement as James pulled out the wallet, his hand slightly trembling. He managed to find a £10 note and handed it to Devi. Their fingers barely brushed in the exchange.

Devi got the change from the register and dropped the coins into his outstretched hand. “Thank you, have a nice day!”

“Thank you.” Melanie said earnestly as she grabbed the grocery bag and whisked James away from the registers. Once they were outside the shop’s sliding doors, she wheeled James around to face her. He was still completely out of it, wearing a stupid grin on his face.

She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Earth to James! You still in there?”

He recoiled back and stared at Melanie, as if he’d just noticed her presence. His face sank. “Oh, no. You didn’t see that, did you?”

Now it was Melanie’s turn to grin like a madman. “Care to explain what happened back there?”

James groaned as he smacked his forehead. “Merlin, I was such an idiot back there! Do you think Devi noticed?”

There was no way Devi hadn’t notice James acting like a stammering fool, but Melanie decided to keep that to herself. 

Unfortunately, he interpreted Melanie’s silence as confirmation. “Ugh! Why can’t I just act normal around her for once?”

“For once?” Melanie gasped. “Have you met her before?”

He clammed up, but it was too late. Melanie finally understood the full situation. Devi wasn’t just a cute stranger he’d just met; she was a full blown crush that turned confident James into a blushing, infatuated boy!

“Come on.” Melanie pointed to an ice-cream stall a block down the street. “Want some ice cream? My treat.”

James frowned. “But I thought you didn’t have any money.”

She pulled out the £20 notes hiding in her shorts pocket. “Yeah, I lied. I’ve got my own stash for special circumstances.” She couldn’t resist adding a cheeky grin. “And getting you to tell me about your Muggle crush definitely counts as a special circumstance.”

* * *

The ice cream stall had all of the novelty treats Melanie had as a child: dessert bars shaped like cartoon characters, cookie ice cream sandwiches, and fruity popsicles. Upon Melanie’s suggestion, James went for the Orange Dreamsicle, while she went with the Nestle® Triple Chocolate Drumstick Sundae Cone. Armed with their sugary goods, the two walked out of West Mirilley and started heading back to the Potter Cottage.

“Okay, you were right about this,” James said as he took another large bite from the Dreamsicle. “Wasn’t sure if you were pranking me, but this is ridiculously good.”

Melanie nodded in agreement. “I told you, you don’t need to have magic to make good ice cream.”

“Touché. Though I’m surprised to find out you’re a chocolate fanatic.”

“I masterminded the chocolate incident in the Great Hall, and you didn’t realize I liked chocolate?”

James blinked as the realization hit him. “When you put it that way, I sound really stupid.”

She smirked. “Not for the first time today, Potter. You’re currently zero for two.”

“What?” he pretended to look hurt. “You’re back to calling me Potter?”

“Yes,” Melanie said pointedly, “until you stop stalling and tell me about Devi.”

James’s ears reddened at the mention of the cute cashier’s name. It was incredibly satisfying for Melanie to have the high ground on him for once, especially after all of his comments about her and Albus.

“Fine.” James relented. “The truth is, I don’t know much about Devi. All the times I’ve seen her have been at that corner shop. She’s worked there since last summer, and she was somehow always there whenever my family visited the town.”

“So you’ve had a crush on her since last year?” Melanie asked, taking a big bite out of her Drumstick.

“More or less,” he sighed, resigned to telling the truth. “Pathetic, right? I’m into someone I can barely talk to.”

Melanie thought back on his most recent encounter with Devi. “Are all of your interactions usually, um, that bad?”

James finished the last bite of his Dreamsicle, stalling for time. “To tell you the truth, that’s the first time I’ve ever said anything to her.”

“No!” Melanie laughed. “You’re kidding!”

His face grew even redder with shame. “Hey now, I’m always stuck with the rest of my family. I’m not gonna try to flirt with someone in front of them!”

“Fair enough,” she conceded. “So they don’t know?”

He shook his head in horror. “Absolutely NOT. Lily can’t keep a secret, and I can’t ruin my stud image! Me, James Potter, stumbling to even talk to a girl? I’d never hear the end of it.”

Melanie had to admit that it was difficult reconciling the “Hogwarts heartthrob” James with the “fumbling around a corner-shop cashier” James. “What I don’t get is why Devi is different. She’s cute and all, but that’s never stopped you from flirting with other girls from Hogwarts.”

“Aw, what’s with the judgemental tone?”

She rolled her eyes. “If even half of the rumors about you are true, then you deserve the judgement. I don’t feel bad about that.”

“It’s not the same with Devi.” James insisted. “Chatting and flirting with those cute girls from Hogwarts, that’s all fun and games. I like dating around, but it’s all casual. (See, the problem is when they don’t realize it’s casual, but that’s besides the point). I’ve never really had super strong feelings for any girl—until I saw Devi for the first time.” he chuckled in embarrassment. “This is going to sound so cliché, but whatever. Devi is probably the cutest girl I’ve ever met.”

Melanie’s eyes widened in amazement. Sure, Devi was decently pretty, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Still, that hadn’t stopped James from crushing on her hard. The whole scneario was altogether too cheesy for Melanie’s liking, just like all of those Hallmark movies that one of her former foster mothers watched constantly. At least James had good taste: Devi was a normal, nice person who could easily hold a conversation with a virtual stranger.

“You’re not the first person I’ve told about Devi,” James clarified. “All of my best mates from school also know.”

“What did they say when you told them?”

“That I should stop being a coward and actually talk to the girl.”

Melanie snickered. “They’re not wrong. Devi’s obviously friendly; most muggle cashiers avoid interacting with customers if at all possible. She was practically feeding you things to talk about.”

James rubbed the back of his neck. “See, that’s kind of the problem. Despite how I act, I don’t really know a lot about Muggle culture. Everything I know is from Dad or from random adverts I see when we’re in the Muggle world.” His expression grew sheepish. “I’m afraid that I’ll look like a fool, or worse, give away that I’m not a Muggle. How embarrassing would that be?” He sighed in defeat. “What if she thinks I’m weird?”

Oh. Melanie’s brain clicked as she finally understood the source of James’s hesitance: he was worried about not being enough of a Muggle to be on her level. She couldn’t suppress her broad grin.

“Uh oh.” James frowned. “I don’t like that face. What is it?”

She decided to set him straight. “Look, I was basically a Muggle for the first eleven years of my life. Most wizards and witches believe Muggles are totally different from them, but that’s utter rubbish. We’re all just people living on the same planet. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re a Muggle or not—the rules of flirting are the same either way.”

“But,” she continued, “if you do want to learn anything about Muggle culture, then you can ask me.” She gave him a genuine smile. “As tempting as it would be to mess with you, I won’t. Whatever you want to know, you just have to ask.”

James stared at her in surprise. “Seriously? You’d do that?”

“Why not? I’m probably the best person to help you. I already know about Devi, and unlike you, I can actually carry a normal conversation with a Muggle.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” he said sarcastically, but his face revealed his gratitude. “Thanks. I’ll probably take you up on that.”

They both fell silent, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as before. Melanie honestly wasn’t sure why she offered to help him, but it felt nice talking like equals. She couldn’t help but feel honored that she knew something that Albus didn’t even know.

When she glanced back at James, she noticed his focused expression, as if he were trying to study her. “Alright, what is it?”

He wasn’t immediately forthcoming. “Can I ask you something kind of personal?”

“I don’t like where this is going.”

“I’ll just ask, and you can choose whether or not to answer.” James cleared his throat. “I’ve been trying to figure this out for a while: why aren’t you more popular?”

That was the last question Melanie was expected to get. She wasn’t sure whether to be mad or to laugh hysterically. “Come again?”

“I don’t mean that as an insult,” he backtracked. “You’re a cool person, and I think you could easily join any social crowd you wanted. And I’m not saying that everyone’s goal is to be popular, but you go out of your way to distance yourself from the crowd. Everyone at Hogwarts thinks you’re cold and uncaring, but that’s not like you at all.” His face was dead serious. “Why do you want other people to think that?”

Melanie felt a pang in her stomach. Unlike his younger brother, James didn’t shy away from blunt questions. It was no secret that Melanie gave off strong “don’t-mess-with-me-vibes” to the general student body at Hogwarts, but no one had ever directly called her out on it.

“If you’d met me before Hogwarts, we would’ve never been friends.” she explained honestly. “You think I’m standoffish now, but this is nothing compared to how I was used to be.” She thought back on her years of foster care, linked to a case file slapped with all of the negative labels: moody, unstable, a reckless troublemaker. None of the adults understood why she acted out, and truth be told, neither did she.

“I didn’t get along with other kids when I was younger.” she continued. “They thought I was cursed because I could do weird things, like accidentally setting things on fire or causing books to float. It’s hard enough being a magical kid in Muggle society, but since I was also a foster kid, they had plenty of reasons to exclude me.”

James grew confused. “You mentioned that you were in ‘foster care’, but I don’t really know what that means. Is that some sort of Muggle institution?”

“Oh right,” Melanie realized, “the wizarding world doesn’t have an equivalent. It’s basically a network that places children like me with temporary families. The end goal is to find a permanent home, but that rarely happens. A lot of kids, like me, end up jumping in-between houses all the time. The longest I ever stayed at one place was three years.”

James winced at her description. “Why don’t they just place you with a single family in the beginning? What’s the point of moving around?”

“It’s not easy getting adopted. The process is long and complicated, and most families don’t want the long-term commitment of a child who’s been in foster care. The longer you’re in the system, the harder it is to get out.” Unsure of what to say next, Melanie wolfed down the rest of her chocolate cone. 

James sensed her discomfort and decided to switch tracks. “Well, I’m glad we met when we did. I never quite understood how you and Albus got along so well, but I think I get it now.”

“What do you mean?”

“When he first told me about you, I thought he was nuts.” he recalled. “My nerdy younger brother, befriending a stone-cold, humorless recluse?”

Melanie liked that description of her. “Good. I’m giving off the right vibe.”

“I assumed you two were opposites, but I was wrong. Both of you think before acting, yet you’re also quick to help others in need.” he grinned at Melanie. “I’m glad he invited you to live with us for the summer.”

Melanie’s heart warmed at his words. “You didn’t have to say all of those nice things.”

“Oh, I only meant that because you’re the perfect Gobstones opponent. I can finesse my skills, but still beat you every single time.”

And the James she knew was back in full force. “Careful there. Who knows what I might reveal to Albus and Lily if you beat me one too many times?”

James scowled at her threat. “You wouldn’t.”

“Maybe not, but is it worth taking the risk?”

“Fine,” he grumbled, “how about you get to keep twenty-five percent of your Mars Bars bid from the game if I beat you?”

“What! I demand seventy-five.”

“Fifty percent, and if you win you get my whole bid.”

Melanie agreed, shaking on it with James. “Why don’t we have a rematch as soon as we get back?”

“Actually, I had a different idea.” He supplied. “Now that we’ve gotten all of that heavy talking out of the way, why don’t we lighten the mood with a good old prank? I was thinking about rigging Lily’s bedroom door with a bucket of water. When she opens it, she’ll be soaked.”

Melanie rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide her interest. “As long as I can deny that I was ever involved.”

“Then come on!” he shouted, already running down the country path. “Last one to the house is a rotten stinksap!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMO, Melanie and James have the best platonic friend dynamic. I could easily write a spin-off of them teaming up and pulling off pranks at Hogwarts. 
> 
> Thanks for reading this far! I'll try to update the story more frequently in the next few weeks.


	8. The Siberian Arrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie plays two-a-side Quidditch with the former Seeker and Chaser of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. All of the Quidditch jocks go way too hard.

The weekend was quick to arrive, and Melanie found herself hanging out with the entire Potter family. It was Saturday afternoon, otherwise known as the weekly viewing of the Quidditch match on the telly.

Though not as exciting as a live game, watching a broadcast of Quidditch was still more interesting than any other Muggle sport. Albus told her how the cameras were magically enchanted to follow the action on the field, allowing for crystal-clear detail throughout the whole game.

Everyone sat around the telly in the living room, enthralled with what was happening on the screen. The kids were sprawled out on the ground, shouting and cheering for their teams. Melanie was the only one not wearing Quidditch apparel: Albus was decked out in green-and-yellow Holyhead Harpies gear, while his siblings sported black-and-red Bollycastle Bats merchandise. The parents sat behind them in the cream-colored loveseat, also wearing Holyhead Harpies jerseys and shouting just as loud as their children.

The two teams were evenly matched, making the action all the more exciting. After an hour of frenzied gameplay, the score was a dead tie, with both teams at 170 points. Everyone was on the edge of their seat, waiting for either team to win the game.

“GOALLL! The Holyhead Harpies add another 10 points to the scoreboard!” The Quidditch announced in the telly yelled. “Chaser Greta Stagwood is on fire!”

The camera panned to a zooming Harpies player with curly black hair in a poofy ponytail. She waved as her fans began chanting her last name.

“Stagwood! Stagwood! Stagwood!” Harry, Ginny, and Albus joined in the cheering.

“Shush, I want to hear the commentary!” Lily complained. “Also, Stagwood is totally carrying the whole team. Without her, the Harpies would be way behind.”

Harry sighed in agreement. “It’s the new captain, she hasn’t gotten the team to work as a unit.” He turned to face his wife. “You would’ve made a much better captain, dear.”

But Ginny was shaking her head, amused at her husband’s statement. Even though she had the day off from work, she couldn’t stop herself from adding some professional commentary. “Over fifteen years of watching Quidditch, and you’re still bad at observing games. The fault clearly lies with the Beaters, they don’t hold a candle to the opposing team’s.”

Melanie had to agree with Ginny. The two Beaters from the Bats, a brother and sister duo with matching blonde haircuts, were ruthless in their Bludger attacks, toeing the line between fair play and foul. They were quickly becoming Melanie’s favorite Quidditch players.

“Stagwood isn’t the only good chaser,” Albus insisted. “Goldfinch has scored five goals, plus she’s made at least eleven assists.”

As if on cue, the stadium crowd roared as Olivia Goldfinch soared the quaffle through the Bats’ hoops. The Harpies fans in the living room cheered again, while Lily and James groaned at the widening score.”

“Maybe this will teach you two not to side against the Harpies,” Ginny teased. “What happened to family loyalty?”

“But Mum, the Bollycastle Bats are so cool!” Lily argued. “Their formations are completely in sync, and their head coach is seriously the coolest. His hair is pink and spiky!”

“And they have the best uniforms in the league, so all of us fans look extra good.” James joked, showing off his black-and-red jersey.

Albus rolled his eyes at his older brother. “You’re supporting a team because of their uniform design?”

“It’s a better method than analyzing game stats, who does that?”

“Hey! The Harpies have an unbeatable accuracy ratio for goals scored!” Albus bristled. “And it’s also good to support Mum!”

James rounded onto Melanie, noticing the small Harpies pennant in her hand. “I see you’ve gone with the Harpies. Did Albus convince you?”

She scoffed at James’s assumption. In truth, Melanie had decided that supporting the Holyhead Harpies was the safest option in this household, but he didn’t need to know that. “I’m capable of making my own Quidditch observations, thank you. The Bats beaters are incredible, but the Harpies have a better team overall, so I’m going with them.”

Ginny nodded in approval. “I’m glad our guest is supporting the right team, unlike two of my children. That’s why she and Albus are getting dessert tonight.”

“WHAT!” James and Lily screamed.

“She doesn’t mean that,” Harry reassured his kids while Ginny roared with laughter. Realizing that their Mum was messing with them, Lily and James started throwing out complaints like “Mum!” and “How could you do that?”

Melanie let out the breath she’d been holding. Every interaction with Albus’s Mum still made her worry, but it got a little easier every time. She was starting to understand more of Ginny Potter’s character: quick-witted, tough-as-nails, and equally passionate about her work and family. It was especially impressive how Ginny was on par with James’s humor, spinning comebacks that had the whole family laughing.

Yet there was still a palpable distance between them. Unlike with Harry, who occasionally went out of his way to speak with Melanie, she’d yet to have a conversation with Ginny one-on-one. Perhaps that was for the best, since using Albus or his siblings as a buffer was far easier than coming up with things to talk about on her own. But the whole situation was unsettling: out of everyone else in the Potter family, why did the most resistance come from Ginny?

“The Seekers are on the move!” Lily announced, dragging Melanie out of her own thoughts. “I think they’ve spotted the Snitch!”

Everyone refocused on the telly, where sure enough, both Seekers were zooming after a barely-discernable flying object. “Bats Seeker Ralton has the edge, he’s almost got it–OH! Harpies Beater Hartly collides into him headfirst! She’s sure to be written down for Blatching.”

A few seconds later, the referees stopped the game to escort player Gloria Hartley off the field for a three-minute time out. The crowd responded with a mix of boos and cheers.

“The flying instructor at Hogwarts is rubbish at reffing.” Lily said. “Melanie, remember when Madam Kelly tried to foul all four Beaters in our match?”

Melanie snorted as she recalled the bizarre game from her third year. Five minutes in, Gryffindor Beater Kyle Crowe yelled obscenities at Slytherin Chaser Clove Rosier, calling her and her family “filthy, elitist snakes”. The other Slytherin Beater retaliated by punching Crowe in the face, starting an all-out brawl between the two. The incompetent Madam Kelly, unsure of which Beater was responsible for what, decided to remove all four Beaters (including Melanie) from the match. With no one on the field to control the bludgers, the game unraveled into a chaotic mess.

“Crowe deserved what he got,” Melanie pointed out, “though it wasn’t great for your team.” Following the match, Crowe was suspended from the Gryffindor team for the rest of the year, resulting in the infamous Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match that lead to the entire Gryffindor team getting injured. (Lily had a black eye for a week straight.)

Lily nodded in agreement. “That’s true. He shouldn’t have said what he did.”

“I’ve heard that Madam Hooch’s successor isn’t widely respected among the students.” Harry interjected. “Which is odd, since Madam Kelly was the former coach for the Appleby Arrows.”

“That’s the problem,” Melanie sighed. “She doesn’t have a clue how to teach anyone who’s not a professional. The lessons are always too complicated, so we never learn anything.”

“She’s right,” James jumped in. “All of her classes are a disaster. Most of the fifth years ditched flying classes regularly.”

Lily snickered. “Maybe if you didn’t skip class, you wouldn’t fall off your broom so often.”

James responded by throwing a pillow at Lily. Unfortunately Albus was leaning fowards, so he took the full force of the blow.

“Come on now,” Harry chastised, giving his kids a stern look. James hastily apologized to Albus, while Lily admitted that James was “actually not so bad at flying”.

Ginny excitedly grabbed her husband’s arm. “Gwen’s about to end the game!”

Everyone turned back to the telly just in time to watch Gwen Striker, Harpies seeker and Ginny’s former teammate, pull out of her nose dive at just the right moment to grab the snitch. The crowd erupted with noise as Gwen smiled to the camera, proudly holding up her catch.

“The Holyhead Harpies win! 340 to 180!” roared the TV announcer amidst the stadium chaos. Meanwhile, the living room was full of both cheers and groans of defeat.

“H-A-R-P-I-E-S!” Harry chanted while Ginny blew a loud Harpies noisemaker, which sounded like a giant bird squawking.

Melanie turned to the sulking Bats fans. “I believe you both owe me five Mars Bars each.”

“We shouldn’t have bet so much,” Lily grumbled as she gave up her chocolate bars.

“Technically, you owe me five for the Gobstones matches, so now we’re even.” James argued.

Albus shook his head. “I can’t believe you got Mel sucked into these bets. Can’t a guy just enjoy his Mars Bars in peace?”

“Oh, this isn’t about the chocolate.” Melanie explained with a grin. “I’m doing this to beat your siblings at their own game.”

Lily leaped up from the ground, stretching out after sitting for a long time. “Woo, that game got me all fired up!” She looked around the room, bursting with energy. “Does anyone want to play two-a-side Quidditch?”

James stared at his little sister in disbelief. “We just watched an hour-long match, and you want to play more Quidditch?”

“Exactly! I gotta try out those new moves!”

Harry laughed at his daughter’s enthusiasm. “I could play a quick game. What about you, dear?” he asked his wife.

Ginny was already pulling her long red hair into a ponytail. “You don’t even have to ask. It won’t take long for me to beat you soundly.”

“Writing about Quidditch says nothing about your actual flying.” he countered. “You’ve been off the field for several years. Can’t practice your broom skills at your desk, can you?”

“It’s not like you use a broom for work!” Lily interjected, defending her Mum. “If anyone’s gonna win, it’ll be the one family member who’s actually on a team!”

James decided to fan the flames. “Well, you’ve only been on a team for two years. Mum and Dad have over thirty years of experience between them.”

“Thank you, James.” Harry said to his oldest son. “Maybe Mum will forgive you and you’ll get dessert tonight.”

“That wasn’t supposed to be a compliment.” James grinned wickedly. “I just meant that you were both old.”

“OH SNAP!” Lily shouted, giggling with delight. Albus groaned and put his face in his hands while the rest of the family continued to shout nonsense at each other.

Melanie laughed to herself as she watched the back-and-forth between the Potters. She was used to James and Lily taunting each other, but watching Ginny and Harry join in the trash-talking make them appear so adolescent, and Melanie was all about it. It was obvious that they were both Quidditch jocks back in the day, and a part of them had never grown out of it.

“I know,” Albus sighed, noticing Melanie’s amused expression. “They’re all nuts about Quidditch. James not so much, but he likes to stir the pot for fun.”

“Are either of you joining?” Lily asked, noticing their absence from the chaos.

Albus immediately shook his head. “No thanks. I’d much rather read a book in my room.”

“Bo-ring.” Lily quickly moved onto Melanie. “What about you? It would be so fun! I haven’t had a real match against you since school ended, and playing with James and Al doesn’t count.”

“Hey!” her brothers protested, but they were both ignored.

“Come on, please?” Lily drew out the last word and flashed her puppy eyes.

Ginny smiled at Melanie. “All my kids keep saying that you’re good at Quidditch. I’d like to see for myself.”

Melanie hesitated. She wasn’t modest about her own abilities, but she was also realistic. Lily was a better flyer, Harry was known to be one of the best Gryffindor Seekers in recent history, and Ginny was literally a former professional. How was she supposed to compare to them?

But she also couldn’t ignore the adrenaline building in her body. The prospect of playing against multiple skilled players (sorry Al and James) was too tempting to resist.

“Why not?” Melanie replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “You need an even number of players anyway.”

“YES!” Lily pumped her fists into the air, nearly knocking over a nearby potted plant. “This is gonna be epic!”

* * *

Given how cozy and charming the Potter cottage was, one would expect their Quidditch field to have the same rustic quality. That could not be further from the truth, as Melanie quickly discovered.

Though smaller than regulation size, the Potter’s Quidditch field was just as impressive as a professional stadium. The stands boasted red and gold flags, the grass was well groomed, and there was a dugout that stored all of their brooms, flying robes, and equipment. Anyone could fly out of the dugout like the professionals did for their introductions, and thanks to the small announcer’s stand with a magical microphone, someone could provide commentary the whole time.

In the dugout, Melanie approached Lily as they selected their brooms (Lily called dibs on her Dad’s Firebolt, but Melanie was more than happy with the Nimbus 3000). “I keep meaning to ask, how did your parents build all of this?”

Lily shrugged as she grab four sets of Quidditch robes: two red, two gold. “It was Dad’s wedding gift to Mum.”

Melanie blinked. “This was a wedding gift?”

In response, Lily pointed to the nearby trophy cabinet. Melanie hadn’t noticed before, but everything in the cabinet was Ginny’s: her trophies, medals, articles, and Holyhead Harpies licensed souvenirs. There was even a slightly creepy mini bobblehead figurine of Ginny the Harpies Chaser.

“Dad was her biggest fan back when she played for the Holyhead Harpies.” Lily explained, “and he watched every single one of her games. So when they got married, he decided to build her a Quidditch stadium.” She made a grossed-out face. “Romance is weird.”

“Couldn’t agree more, but it is kind of sweet, your Dad supporting your Mum’s career.”

“I guess so,” Lily offered, “though I always thought it was just about their mutual love of Quidditch.”

They both looked over at Harry and Ginny, who were still bantering about each other’s “rusty” Quidditch skills. Somehow, their enthusiasm for Quidditch made Melanie realize how similar they were to normal Muggle parents. She’d met her fair share of sports families—almost all of her previous foster Dads religiously followed the Premier League, so she’d watched plenty of football games, professional or otherwise, throughout her childhood. 

Yet, the key difference was that the parents rarely took part in sporting activities themselves. Either they talked about their “glory days” incessantly, or they obnoxiously yelled from the sidelines of their children’s competitive matches. Melanie had never met parents who still played the sport that they loved. Did that make Ginny and Harry more reasonable, or more ridiculous? After all, they were about to play a game of Quidditch in a stadium that Harry literally built for Ginny.

Melanie was always wary of sports-lovers. She loved Quidditch, but she didn’t want it to consume her identity, lest she became another mindless sports fan with no chill—just like her foster families.

“Alright everyone,” Lily addressed as they all gathered together with their brooms, “how are we gonna divide up? I don’t care as long as Mum and Dad aren’t together.”

“Why not?” asked Melanie.

“Because they’ve been flying together since before we were born.” Lily pointed out. “It’s an unfair advantage.”

Ginny swung her broom confidently. “Afraid of losing to us? I would be too.”

“You know what? Maybe Melanie and I should team up against you.” Lily decided. “Then we’ll see who’s afraid.”

“What, no!” Harry interjected. “I think mixing up ages is a good idea! Lily, why don’t you and Mum pair up against Melanie and me?”

Melanie didn’t mind that suggestion, but Lily snorted in response. “No offense Dad, but Mum and I would crush you. Two chasers against a seeker and a beater? You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

There was a fair amount of truth to that. In two-a-side Quidditch, the Chaser skillset was by far the most useful, hence why Lily had always outscored Melanie in previous matches.

“So it’s decided then.” Ginny said. “Melanie and I will face off against you two.” She glanced over at her new teammate. “This should make for an interesting game.”

Oh, no. Melanie’s stomach dropped as she met Ginny’s gaze. She inwardly chastised herself for getting so worked up. It wasn’t like her to be intimidated by anyone, even if that someone was her best friend’s mum who disapproved of her. 

She swallowed her rising nervousness and put on a smile. “Works for me, as long as I’m on the winning team.”

“Ooo, fighting words.” Lily teased. “I call the red team! Come on Dad!” She quickly slipped on a red Quidditch robe, mounted her broom, and zoomed out of the dugout.

Harry sighed as he also put on a red robe, albeit much slower than his daughter. He smiled at Ginny and Melanie. “No holding back, either of you. I want to beat you fair and square.”

“Even if I did hold back, I’d still be better.” Ginny poked fun at her husband. He responded with an adoring look towards his wife (Melanie turned away in embarrassment), then flew off after his daughter.

For the first time since Melanie had arrived at the Cottage, she was left alone with Ginny Potter. An awkward silence settled in as they sized each other up. Ginny was barely taller than Melanie, but her presence felt so much larger. Everyone at Hogwarts knew about Ginny’s legacy: how she’d been possessed by a Horcrux for nearly a year and survived, how she led the student rebellion against Voldemort’s army during her sixth year, how she became one of the youngest players to join the UK Quidditch League—all before she turned twenty years old. Harry Potter may have been the Hero of the Wizarding World, but Ginny Potter née Weasley was a straight-up badass who was also Albus’s mum. What was Melanie supposed to say to her?

“Lily tells me all about her Quidditch matches at Hogwarts.” Ginny said to break the silence. Her voice was confident and assured, exactly the opposite of how Melanie felt. “She was disappointed that Gryffindor lost, but she thought your team deserved its victory.”

That caught Melanie off guard. She had no idea where Ginny was going with this. “That’s nice of Lily to say. But she’s way better than me. I have no idea how she flies so fast.”

Ginny smiled in amusement. “Having her Dad’s Firebolt helps. Though personally, I think that model is overrated.” She proudly held up her elegantly crafted broomstick, with silver tail twigs and a golden arrow attached to the tip of the handle. “There are other important factors for a broomstick other than speed.”

Melanie’s eyes widened in recognition. “Is that—a Siberian Arrow?”

“You’ve seen one before?”

“Not in person!” Melanie gushed, unable to contain her excitement. “I only saw them once on the telly, during a friendly match between England and the Nordic National Team. How did you get one?”

“Playing on a professional Quidditch team had its perks.” Ginny laughed. “One of my teammates got sick of my complaints about how the team-issued broomsticks weren’t sensitive enough, so she gifted me this. Best present I’ve ever received, except for this Quidditch field of course.”

Melanie was only half-listening to Ginny, still ogling the Siberian Arrow. “I hear they handle better than any other broom on the market. Is that true?”

Ginny hesitated, scrunching her eyebrows together in thought. After a few moments, she held the broomstick out to Melanie. “Why don’t you try it out for yourself?”

“What?” Melanie took a step back. Ginny wasn’t actually serious, was she? There was no way she was offering a virtual stranger to try out her most-likely super expensive broom.

“Why not?” Ginny insisted, her brown eyes sparkling. For a moment, Melanie was reminded of Albus’s face when he was being doggedly kind. Thinking about that did help her feel a little calmer.

Moving slowly, Melanie took the Siberian Arrow from Ginny. The craftsmanship in the broomstick was incredible: the sturdy-yet-light framework, the expertly carved seat and handle, the brilliantly silver tail-twigs. Taking care not to poke herself with the golden arrow at the tip, she carefully mounted the broom.

“I’d recommend starting off slowly while you’re getting a feel for it.” Ginny suggested as she took the Nimbus 3000 from Melanie. “It’s extremely responsive to your movements, and you could fall off if you’re not careful.”

Taking her suggestion to heart, Melanie gently rose a few feet in the air. The Siberian Arrow responded at the slightest touch, rising and pausing precisely how she wanted.

“Woah,” she breathed, her eyes bugging out. After hovering in the air for a few seconds, she gently lowered herself down to the ground.

Ginny nodding in approval. “You’ve got excellent motor control skills. This broom suits you.”

Melanie blinked at the unexpected compliment. Not wanting to push her luck, she quickly moved to dismount the broom. “Uh, thank you for letting me try out your broom.”

“What are you doing?”

“Um, returning the broom to you?”

Ginny shook her head and mounted the Nimbus 3000. “No way. You’re borrowing that broom for the whole game. I want to see what you can do with a proper broom. Plus, it’ll throw off whatever schemes Lily and my husband came up with.” A mischievous smile spread across her face. This time, Melanie thought she looked eerily similar to James right before he set off a prank.

Melanie stared at Ginny in utter disbelief. This was a horribly reckless idea, something she’d expect from James but not from a respectable mother of three. Though perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised—Ginny was a Weasley and a Potter, which was about as Gryffindor as someone could get, and they were the experts on horribly reckless ideas.

Unless. Melanie’s grip on the broom handle tightened as she considered another possibility. Maybe this was some kind of test to gauge her Quidditch skills… and something else. What was with the Potters and their tests?

“Helloooo!” Lily poked her head out at the entrance of the dugout. “Are you two ready? Or are you too afraid to face us?”

“Oh, we’re ready!” Ginny yelled out to her daughter. She threw one of the gold robes at Melanie before putting on her own set with a dramatic flair and zipping towards the field on the Nimbus 3000.

Melanie put on her gold Quidditch robes and remounted the Siberian Arrow. Left with no other option, she zoomed after her teammate to join everyone else at the center of the pitch. She took care to brake slowly, reducing the chances of accidentally flinging herself off the broom. Yet again, the Siberian Arrow responded to her slightest movement.

Lily and Harry were waiting for them, dressed in their identical red robes and passing the quaffle between them for a warm-up. “We’re playing by house rules!” Lily announced while Melanie pulled up next to them. “Best of five rounds wins. No hovering around hoops. No hidden wand spells” (she threw a look at her parents), “and the losing team has to clean the dishes tonight, without magic.”

“The loser’s punishment is to wash dishes like muggles?” Melanie protested. “That’s just rude.”

“To be fair, most muggles don’t have to put up with Lily’s appetite. Also, don’t think we didn’t notice your switch.” Harry nodded towards Melanie’s broomstick. “You might want to be careful. I’ve heard the Siberan Arrow has a steep learning curve.”

Lily giggled. “That golden arrow broom isn’t as good as the Firebolt! You don’t stand a chance.”

“So let’s make it a week then.” Ginny challenged, a sly smile creeping onto her face. “Losing team has to do all of the dishes for the next week, starting tomorrow.”

“Ooo, now things are getting real!” squealed Lily. “I’m in!”

Harry shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

With the quaffle in hand, Lily hurled it into the air with all her might. “Play on!”

Everyone immediately sprung into action. Ginny snagged the quaffle first and sped towards the gold hoops on the far side. Lily was hot on her trail, while Harry flew underneath them in preparation to cut Ginny off.

Melanie shot forward, immediately recoiling back as her broom reacted instantaneously. She managed to readjust herself in time, but her body was overloaded with adrenaline. I’m not going to fall off this broom, she resolved to. Not in front of Ginny Potter and everyone else.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a red-robed, black-haired figure approaching her from below. She quickly swerved to her left, dodging Harry’s attempt to collide into her.

“What was that for?” she yelled over to Harry. As soon as she spoke, she felt something hard thwack her broom, causing her to spin wildly in the air. Lily had caught her off guard and spun downwards to knock her off. She held onto the Siberian Arrow as tightly as she could, getting slightly dizzy from all of the spinning.

“Melanie! Above you!”

Ginny approached her from above with the quaffle in hand. Without warning, she dropped it downwards to Melanie, who barely had enough time to catch it.

“Follow her!” Harry shouted to his teammate as Melanie flew off to the golden hoops. This game was way more intense than the previous 2-vs-2 matches with Albus and James—the Potter parents didn’t mess around when it came to Quidditch. Melanie would have to step up her game to keep up.

A red-haired, red-robed figure on the Firebolt barreled towards her with alarming speed. Melanie didn’t have enough time to make it the hoops before Lily caught up to her, but she also couldn’t aim the quaffle to save her life.

She made a split second decision, yanking her broom handle upwards and lurching into a mid-air loop-de-loop. The move was clunky, but it did the trick: Lily was unable to brake in time and zoomed right past her.

“Oh come on!” Lily griped, but Melanie had already flown away out of earshot. The Siberian Arrow was a little faster than what she was used to, so she found herself in front of the hoops well before she was ready to throw the quaffle. As she was preparing to aim, she noticed a flash of gold coming in from the right side.

Making a split-second decision, Melanie hurled the quaffle as hard as she could, paying no attention to precision. “Ginny, go long!”

As expected, the quaffle wildly missed the mark and sailed several feet above the hoops. “Yikes!” Lily commented, finally catching up to Melanie. “You call that a throw?”

“You know I suck at handling quaffles,” Melanie stalled, “but I bet your Mum is pretty good at it.”

Lily whipped around on her broom, but it was too late. While Lily was distracted, Ginny had caught Melanie’s wild throw and scored a point for the Gold Team. She waved over at Melanie and Lily with a wide grin on her face.

“What!” Lily scowled. “Melanie, you missed on purpose!”

Melanie shrugged. “My throws always end up way higher than they should, so I decided to take advantage of that.”

They began flying back to the center of the pitch for the next throw-off. “Wow,” Harry remarked as he overheard their conversation. “That’s pretty clever. I’m impressed.”

“Dad! You’re not supposed to compliment the other team!”

“Nice thinking there, Melanie.” Ginny praised as she returned with the quaffle. The former professional looked truly at home on the broom, with her red hair and golden robes billowing in the wind. “We’ll wind this game in no time.”

Lily grew red in the face. “Oh no, we’re just getting started. Time for the next round!”

Laughing easily, Ginny tossed the quaffle upwards to start the next round. Lily caught it without hesitation and immediately shot for the red hoops.

“Stay on Harry!” Ginny yelled as she flew after Lily. Melanie moved to pursue Harry, who had flown down the side of the field.

She thought it’d be easy to catch up to Harry, but he was surprisingly fast. Despite his age, he still had the instincts of a Seeker and zoomed towards his goal with laser focus. Melanie thought about swinging in from the side to throw him off course, but he flew too fast for her to attempt it.

Sensing that Melanie was on his tail, Harry took a 90-degree turn to the left to try to shake her off. Melanie’s broom reacted almost instinctually, following Harry’s trajectory with no loss in speed. Any other broom wouldn’t have been able to keep up; the Siberian Arrow truly was world-class at maneuvering.

Melanie had almost caught up to Harry when he shouted at Lily to pass the quaffle, but Lily ignored her Dad and lobbed the quaffle towards end of the field. They were more than ten yards away from the hoops, yet the quaffle sailed right through the center one.

“Woohoo!” Lily pumped her fists in the air. “Red team scores!”

Harry panted heavily. “You made me—sprint down the field—for nothing?”

Ginny laughed at her husband, perfectly fine from her flight. “And you accused me of not being in shape! Do Aurors actually move around, or is it just busy work?”

He tried to counter his wife, but he could barely catch his breath. “Just not—used to flying—so fast!”

Melanie also felt a little drained from going full speed. Lily and Ginny must’ve been in excellent shape, as neither of them seemed to have broken a sweat.

“Aaaaand the score is now all tied up at 1-1! Red team scores, even though Lily did all of the work.”

Everyone flinched at the sudden commentary echoing around the field. At the announcer’s stand, James had the microphone, and Albus held a pair of brass omnioculars.

“I thought you guys didn’t want to watch any more Quidditch!” Lily yelled down at her brothers.

“I didn’t, but Albus convinced me with a bet!” James yelled back. “He bet on Mum and Melanie winning, which is so predictable. You’d better win Lily, I’ve got Mars Bars on the line.”

Lily glared at Albus. “You don’t think Dad and I are going to win?”

“Come on, Mum was literally a professional!” Albus pointed out.

“And Melanie is his—” James started before Albus shoved the microphone out of his hands. The clang reverberated around the field, blasting out everyone’s eardrums.

“—friend! I was going to say friend!” James finished.

“Sorry, sorry!” Albus apologized into the microphone. “Didn’t mean to hurt your ears!”

Harry shook his head at his sons’ antics. “Well, Quidditch is always more exciting with an audience. Shall we continue?”

They all returned back to the middle of the pitch to start the next round. “We need to watch out for Lily.” Melanie muttered while flying next to Ginny. “She’ll keep scoring if she gets her hands on the quaffle.”

“I agree.” said Ginny. “You go for the quaffle this round. I’ll keep tabs on Lily.”

Melanie nodded as they all got into position. Slowly but surely, she was getting used to how the Siberian Arrow moved, which meant she could go bolder with her flying.

“Lily tosses the quaffle, and they’re off!” James announced as the next round began. He put on his best commentating voice, much like when Melanie had been going through the Potter Initiation. “Melanie catches the Quaffle and fends off Dad as she heads towards the gold hoops.”

The action on the field was a hot mess. Ginny and Lily duked it out on their brooms, each attempting to knock off the other, while Harry chased Melanie all around the field. In an attempt to shake him off, Melanie dipped into a sharp nose-dive. The wind roared in her ears and threated to knock her off, but she pushed her limits and wanted until the last possible moment to flatten out and continue forwards.

Yet there was still something whooshing behind her. She turned her head back to find Harry inexplicably right behind her, having successfully followed her in the nose-dive. She also spotted Lily above her, having fended off Ginny and was now in hot pursuit of the quaffle.

“The Gold team still has the quaffle, but Dad and Lily are right on Melanie’s tail.” James continued with his commentary. “Will she be able to shake them off, or will the red team—OH!”

Without thinking, Melanie did a sharp 180 on her broom and took off in the opposite direction. Harry reacted too slowly, unable to turn around in time, before Lily ended up crashing right into him.

“The Red team collides into each other on the field! That oughta hurt!”

With no time to celebrate, Melanie spun back around and continued her course to the gold hoops. Ginny waved to her from the right, so Melanie threw her the quaffle—except it missed Ginny’s hands and fell towards the ground.

“No!” Melanie dove again to retrieve the quaffle, but Ginny was already on it. With the expertise of a professional, Ginny spun upside-down on her broom, caught the quaffle again, and swung back up again in a matter of seconds. Melanie gaped at her teammate in amazement.

“Down the side!” Ginny yelled, flying off to the right side of the field. Melanie steered her broom towards the left, mirroring Ginny’s flight path. She was familiar with this maneuver; it was one of several formations the Slytherin Captain made them work on at every practice. As a Beater, Melanie always loathed these seemingly pointless exercises (prefering to focus on batting practice instead), but now she was grateful for the extra training.

She noticed the red team split up to pursue both of them: Harry was on Ginny’s trail while Lily was right behind her. Melanie urged her broom to go faster, leaning into speeds she’d never quite hit before. The Siberian Arrow shook with the extra velocity, and her hair whipped across her face, but Melanie was having the time of her life.

“The Red team is in pursuit of the Gold team once again, trying to prevent them from scoring.” James commented. “Now we turn to Albus, our favorite Quidditch analyst. What do you think of the Gold team’s strategy to divide and conquer?”

“It is a predictable tactic,” Albus said into the microphone. “I guess it depends on how well Mum and Mel can pass? And on whether or not Dad and Lily can intercept the quaffle, though perhaps they would’ve been better off by not pursuing them directly—”

“Al, I wasn’t looking for a full breakdown! Just say whether it’s good or bad!”

Blocking out the commentary, Melanie refocused on the gold hoops. Ginny was in an excellent position for scoring, so she chucked the quaffle towards the center hoop at full strength. It would have been a perfect shot, had Harry not shown up out of nowhere to intercept the quaffle.

Melanie cursed under her breath. If he passed the quaffle to Lily, she knew her team would lose the point. She swerved her broom towards him, intending to block his field of sight.

His broom was slower to react, so Melanie had almost caught up to him by the time he threw the quaffle. Acting frantically, she stuck her right foot out and kicked the quaffle out of the way—straight through the right golden hoop.

“Aaaaand Gold team scores!” James cheered into the microphone. “The score is now 2-1, and the next round could end the game!”

Ginny flew up right next to Melanie, hand extended out in a high-five. “Great kick there!”

Melanie returned the high-five, dazed by what was happening. It was natural to high-five teammates on the field, but getting one from Ginny Potter felt monumental. It was as if the stoic, evasive Ginny she’d previously interacted with at the cottage had been replaced by this wild, infectious force of nature. Would she return to the former version of herself after the game ended?

“That was a lucky shot,” Lily complained as they all flew back to the center of the pitch, “though kicking the quaffle mid-air looked pretty cool.”

“Your quaffle toss was also kind of lucky.” Melanie pointed out. “I know you’re good and all, but you were at least three times further away from the hoops than I was.”

Harry loudly cleared his throat. He and Ginny were already in position, waiting for their teammates to arrive. “Are you two ready for the next round?”

“I believe you mean, the last round?” Ginny playfully corrected him.

“Honestly, I’m kind of hoping it’s the last round.” He admitted. “I’m getting pretty winded.”

Melanie snickered as she brought her broom into position. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was also looking forward to a quick end. Without the Slytherin team’s daily practice, her stamina had drastically fallen. “I don’t think us non-Chasers were cut out for constant flying.” she told Harry. “I’d much rather wait and watch for the right moment to strike.”

Harry smiled at Melanie gratefully. “See, you get it!”

“Hello!” James voice sounded insistent over the magical microphone. “Are you all gonna play or what?”

“He’s right.” Ginny swung her arm back, ready to throw the quaffle. “Enough stalling. Let’s win this.”

The quaffle flew in the air, causing yet another commotion as they all scrambled to catch it. Lily emerged with the quaffle in hand, prompting both Melanie and Ginny to chase after her.

“Lily’s got the lead on Mum and Melanie as she makes her way to the red hoops.” James announced. “The Red team had better win this point, I don’t want to lose five Mars Bars to Al!”

Ginny and Lily were neck-to-neck while Melanie trailed behind several feet. She watched them flaunt official regulations as they elbowed each other, attempting to knock the other player off their broom. Ginny ended up dipping out of the way, causing Lily to veer uncontrollably to the right.

“Dad, catch!” Lily yelled while tossing the quaffle wildly away from Ginny. Melanie seized the opportunity to quickly change her course and intercept the quaffle from mid-air.

“Gold team takes possession of the quaffle! Will this end the game?”

Harry flew straight towards Melanie, ready to block her from flying past. She tried aiming towards the side, but he mirrored her easily and nearly knocked her off the Siberian Arrow.

“Melanie! Drop it!”

Without thinking, Melanie immediately responded to her teammate’s voice and dropped the quaffle. Thankfully, Ginny zipped right underneath her and caught the quaffle while maintaining her fast speed.

“Where did she come from?” Harry asked in awe before spinning around and chasing after Ginny. Melanie continued flying to the end of the field, attempting to get into a good position for a pass.

THWACK! Lily slammed into her at top speed, fully intending to knock Melanie off. The Siberian Arrow spun around 360 degrees, but she managed to retain control of the broom without much trouble.

“What?” Lily gasped as Melanie braked the broom mid-air to float in place. “That should’ve knocked you off!”

“It takes more than that to knock me off,” Melanie teased, but she silently agreed with Lily. That amount of force would have knocked her off any other broom, yet the Siberian Arrow remained steady. The broom had absorbed most of the shock somehow, leaving the flyer relatively unharmed.

“Mum and Dad are racing towards the gold hoops.” James continued. “I must say, Dad’s doing a decent job blocking Mum from scoring.”

The two younger players flew towards Harry and Ginny, who were locked in a standstill. They were nearly thirty feet away from the hoops, too far for Ginny to score comfortably, but Harry inconveniently blocked her from getting any closer.

“Ginny, watch out!” Melanie warned as Lily zoomed towards her Mum at lighting-fast speed. Ginny shot upwards in an attempt to evade, but she unfortunately put herself directly into Lily’s path.

BAM! Both of them spun wildly out of control, each spinning out to the edges of the field. The quaffle slipped out of Ginny’s hands and fell towards the ground, landing at a point equidistant between Melanie and Harry.

They stared each other down for a split second, then simultaneously dove for the quaffle. Melanie angled the Siberian Arrow as sharp as she dared, practically going vertical towards the ground. At the last possible second, she tiled her broom back to horizontal and swiped her left hand out for the quaffle. Her hand scraped against the ground, but she managed to snag the quaffle and shoot back up towards the hoops without interruption.

“Melanie’s got the quaffle! Will she score the match point?”

She ignored her throbbing hand as she approached the hoops. With Lily still recovering from her collision and Harry out of her line of sight, there was nothing stopping her from scoring—except her own lack of throwing ability.

But this was no time to doubt herself. Aiming for the center hoop, Melanie took the quaffle in her right hand, her non-dominant hand, and awkwardly hurled it as hard as she could. The quaffle seemed to move in slow-motion, grazing the inside of the rim but still managing to fly through the hoop.

“The game is over!” Albus cheered, having stolen the microphone from his disappointed older brother. “The Gold Team wins 3-1!”

Melanie heard ecstatic whooping from below. She turned to see Ginny cheering wildly, looking worse for wear but too excited to care. Melanie couldn’t help but grin back at her teammate.

“Dad! Are you okay?” Lily had flown to Harry, who lay sprawled out on the ground with his broom several feet away. Seeing him twitch caused a wave of horror to flood Melanie, but as she approached closer, she realized he was just laughing hysterically.

“I shouldn’t have tried diving after the quaffle.” Harry joked in between gasps. He had several newly-formed bruises, but he still smiled good-naturedly. “You’ve got guts, Melanie. I should’ve known.”

“She’s a natural at Quidditch.” Ginny agreed, flying in to check on her husband. “I knew the Siberian Arrow would be a good fit.”

Melanie thanked Ginny again for letting her try the broom out. “The movement of this broom is incredible.” she said honestly. “I’ve never flown anything like it.”

Ginny waved off Melanie’s gratitude. “It takes a good flyer to use a good broom. You’re welcome to borrow it anytime.”

“I can’t believe you won!” Lily complained after reassuring herself that her dad was okay. “I was so sure that golden arrow broom would slow you down, otherwise I would’ve never agreed to a week’s worth of dishes.”

“And I wouldn’t have bet five Mars Bars.” James added as he and Albus joined the group. They both looked strangely neat compared to the worn-out, wind-swept players.

Harry slowly sat back up again, brushing the dirt off of his Quidditch robes. “Actually, Mars Bars sound really good right now. Maybe we can add some to tonight’s dessert?”

“Mel!” Albus pointed at Melanie’s left hand. “You’re bleeding!”

Surprised, Melanie looked down at her hand With all the adrenaline from the game, she’d hadn’t noticed the new scratches. A small trickle of blood slowly rolling down her arm.

Albus carefully grabbed her hand to take a closer look. “It’s not a deep cut, but it probably should be healed as soon as possible.”

“Ooo, or you can use some of that ‘first aid’ knowledge!” Lily said excitedly. “I’d like to see more of that!”

Predictably, James’s face went pale at the sight of Melanie’s hands. “Or, hear me out, you could take your bloody hand as far away from me as possible, so I don’t throw up all over the Quidditch field.”

“Here, I’ll bring Melanie back to the cottage to heal her hand.” Harry offered once he finally stood up. “We might as well use magic for speedy recovery. You kids help Mum clean up the Quidditch gear.”

So Melanie went off with Harry amid the protests from the Potter kids (“I wanted to see her use first aid!” “We weren’t even the ones using this stuff!”), her mind completely preoccupied with everything Albus’s mum had said to her. Even with the game finished, she still wasn’t sure whether or not the whole thing had been a test—though if so, she was fairly confident than she’d passed. But would that be enough to win over Ginny Potter?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out that Quidditch scenes are lengthy to write. Hopefully it was still enjoyable to read!  
> Thanks to everyone who's stuck with the story this far. More chapters to come!


	9. A Magical Prank Gone Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James tries (and fails) to make a magical Rube Goldberg machine. Melanie finds something unexpected.

“James Sirius Potter, for the last time, give me back Selwyn!”

“Hold on!” he protested, holding the firedrake out of Melanie’s reach. “I just need her for a minute!”

Albus scanned the study. “I’d asked what you need Selwyn for, but I’m kind of scared to find out.”

It was rather odd seeing the juxtaposition of James’s bizarre set-up in the otherwise formal study room. On first glance it looked like a hoarder’s mess, with magical prank items and muggle objects alike strewn about randomly (like the wooden ramp full of decoy detonators, the fanged frisbee attached to a fishing pole, and the alarming number of whiz-bangs in every corner). It was impossible to move in any direction without knocking something over.

The room set-up was effective in stopping Melanie from strangling James on the spot. When she’d woken up and discovered that Selwyn was missing, she immediately rushed downstairs and caught James sneaking the firedrake into the study. Albus, who had been reading a book in the dining room, decided to investigate what the commotion was all about.

“Isn’t it obvious what I’m doing?” James placed Selwyn into a picnic basket hanging on a homemade zipline made out of wire and hooks. “I’m pranking Lily!”

Albus noticed the bucket of water hanging above the ornate doorway. “Looks like you’re planning on soaking her, but I don’t know why everything else is in here.”

James gleefully rubbed his hands together. “I’m so glad you asked. See, simply pulling on a string to empty a bucket of water on Lily’s head got repetitive. Boring. Simplistic.”

Melanie coughed into her fist. “You mean when Lily totally figured out your prank and tricked you into pulling the string prematurely—”

“Anyway, I decided to make things more interesting. So behold, my automated water pranker!”

Albus and Melanie took a closer look at the set-up. Despite the messiness, all of the objects were arranged in a specific order, with the muggle objects linking the magical ones together to form a winding, precarious mechanical structure.

“So you built a magical Rube Goldberg machine?” Melanie asked.

Albus scratched his head. “What’s a ‘rude gold bird’?”

“‘Rube Goldberg’. You take a simple task and make it as complex and weird as possible. My primary school made us build one as a class project.”

James visibly deflated. “Wait, you’re telling me this has already been done before?”

Albus examined an anti-gravity hat connected to a pulley system made out of toilet paper rolls and yarn. “I’m pretty sure no one has ever built something quite like this.”

“Thank you.” James said, ignoring Albus’s sarcasm. “It’s genius, isn’t it?”

“You still haven’t explained why you need Selwyn.” Melanie pressed. The firedrake responded to her name by poking her head out from the picnic basket.

James pointed to a rather large gold-and-silver whiz-bang aimed at the water bucket. “I needed a fiery component to set off the final whiz-bang. And what better way to create fire than with a firedrake?”

Albus put his hands in a “time-out” sign. “Hold on. You’re planning on using a firedrake to light a deluxe whiz-bang indoors?”

“Are the Extendable Ears holding the punching telescope?” Melanie asked, ignoring Albus and poking at the structure.

James swatted Melanie’s hand away. “Don’t touch the telescope! You’ll set this whole thing off!”

Melanie hopped over the wooden ramp of decoy detonators. There were at least ten decoy detonators just sitting there, waiting to be activated. 

“I hate to point out the obvious, but how are you getting Lily in here without suspicion?” she inquired.

“That’s the easiest part.” James held up a book by Virginia Woolf. “I snuck it out of her room last night. As soon as she wakes up, she’ll head in here to look for the book, which sets off the first whiz-bang and puts everything into motion.”

“Lily reads Virginia Woolf?”

“Lysander recommended it.” Albus said, knowing that was all he needed to explain. Everyone knew that Lysander was a literary nerd for both wizarding and muggle books.

Melanie looked around the Rube Goldberg machine one more time. “The one thing they told us at school was how important trial runs were. Have you tested this thing out yet?”

James looked at her blankly. “Why would I have to test it?”

The door suddenly slammed open, and a barely-awake Lily with a major case of bedhead stepped into the room. “Have any of you seen—”

POW!

Lily’s foot activated the first whiz-bang, but she kicked it slightly off target. The red and blue fireworks erupted in the wrong direction and knocked over the lamp on Harry’s desk. Meanwhile, everything else in James’s set-up remained completely motionless.

Albus exhaled the breath he’d been holding. “What a relief!”

“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Lily reached for the nearest hanging object. “And why are there so many things in the study?”

“Wait!” James yelled, but the punching telescope in Lily’s hands activated instantaneously, walloping her right in the left eye. She yelped in pain and let go of the telescope—creating the momentum needed for the attached string to pull against the ignitor for the next round of wildfire whiz-bangs.

_BOOM!_

Three whiz-bangs went off in opposite directions, simultaneously starting different sections of the machine. Decoy detonators spilled all over and created mass chaos that obscured Albus from everyone else’s view. Several Rubby o’Chickens were flung across the study and hit the wall full of family photos, shattering multiple frames. One of the whiz-bangs crashed into the picnic basket and set it on fire, causing Selwyn to break out in flames and squawk noisely. The other two whiz-bangs collided into each other and created a fleet of flying pigs, which then showered the whole room in pink and white fireworks.

Melanie shielded herself underneath the large, ornate desk. “Potter! What did you—”

A flying pig smashed into the desk, causing the contents to explode. An ink bottle splattered all over Melanie’s face, momentarily obscuring her vision with black liquid.

“James!” Lily shrieked, sporting a fresh black eye and swatting away a flying pig whiz-bang. “Make it stop NOW!”

“I’m trying!” James frantically collected all of the unused whiz-bangs and threw them out the open window. “But I don’t know how to get rid of the flying pigs!”

“Use the water bucket! The water should deactivate the spell!” Albus yelled, emerging out of the Decoy Detonator smoke. His face and hair were completely covered in soot.

The only person tall enough to reach the top of the doorway was James, so he clamored over the heaps of machine parts to retrieve it. “Everyone, brace yourselves!” he warned as he grabbed the bucket.

_SPLOOSH!_

He sprayed water all over the study, aiming at every single one of the flying pigs. Nothing was safe from the water, so everyone was drenched by the time he was finished. Steam rose up from the ground as if James had put out a big fire.

Melanie emerged from the desk, inked and sopping wet. She quickly went to Selwyn, who looked like a miserable dog after taking a bath. Albus and Lily also emerged from their makeshift shelters with equally glum expressions.

“Oh, poor Selwyn!” Lily cooed, rushing over to the firedrake. “I don’t think she’s fond of water.” She watched as Melanie gave Selwyn some comforting pats.

“Poor Selwyn? What about us?” Albus surveyed the scorched and drenched study. “Dad’s gonna kill us when he sees this.”

His siblings stiffened at the thought. “Oh, Scary Harry is the absolute worst.” Lily gulped. “Dad never gets mad, but when he does, it’s horrible.”

Melanie shuddered at the thought. She couldn’t imagine easy-going Harry Potter getting angry, which only meant that his angry state had to be truly terrifying.

“He’s not going to see this!” James declared, far too optimistically for Melanie’s liking. With his haggard appearance and wild enthusiasm, he had the energy of a mad scientist. “We’ll clean this up before Dad comes back.”

“Dad will be home by lunchtime. How are we cleaning this up before noon?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” James whipped out his wand from his back pocket. “We’re wizards and witches! This room will be clean in no time.”

Melanie frowned at his suggestion. “Aren’t we not supposed to use magic outside of Hogwarts? You know, the whole ‘Trace’ enchantment and the ‘you’ll-be-expelled’ rule?”

“Actually,” Lily said excitedly, already on board with James’s idea, “we won’t be caught if we use magic here!”

“Dad always told us we were allowed to use magic for emergencies.” Albus explained, looking a little sheepish. “But I never understood how that would work, since the Trace can’t tell whether or not we’re using magic in an emergency. So Rose and I looked it up in the Hogwarts library last year. Apparently, the Trace only tracks if magic is used around an underaged wizard, but it can’t tell who actually performed the spell.”

Melanie processed his explanation. “So, if any of us use magic here—”

“—the Trace will detect it, but since we’re in a magical household, it won’t be able to tell whether the underage wizard or the adult wizard performed the spell.”

“In other words, we’re in the clear!” Lily whooped.

“That’s only what Rose and I think.” Albus cautioned, already regretting his words. “We could’ve interpreted the statute wrong. It doesn’t mean we have a free pass to use magic whenever we want.”

James waved off his little brother’s concern. “Come on, Rose is too smart to misinterpret something like that. Besides, we’ve used magic before and nothing happened. I think this counts as an emergency, unless you want to deal with ‘Scary Harry and the destroyed study’?”

Melanie stared at them in disbelief. “You’re saying that I could’ve been using magic this whole time, and none of you told me?”

Albus groaned. “No, that’s the wrong takeaway! Ugh, I should have never looked up the trace in the first place.”

“Honestly, we don’t really need to use magic during the summer.” Lily chimed in. “So many of our objects are enchanted anyway. And it’s kind of nice to get a break from wand spells.”

“Easy for you to say.” James complained. “You don’t need a wand to play Quidditch, but how am I supposed to practice duelling?”

While Lily and James continued squabbling, Melanie took her wand out from her back pocket. Even though she hadn’t had a reason to use her wand before, she felt far more comfortable having it on her at all times. Holding her wand again felt familiar and grounding, like she was somehow home.

Melanie pointed her wand towards Selwyn, who was shivering from the dampness, and gave it a complicated flick. Though she hadn’t used this spell on a non-human before, she figured it couldn’t be too different. “ _Calidum aerem_.”

Hot air streamed out of the tip of her wand, drying out the water from Selwyn’s body in a matter of seconds. The firedrake perked up in happiness, and her tail sparked on fire again.

“Look at you being reckless!” James teased. “Maybe you’ve got some Gryffindor in you after all.”

Melanie snorted. “I’m not being reckless. I trust Albus’s judgement, and I decided that the risks of expulsion were lower than the risk of seeing your Dad get angry.”

“See, Melanie gets it!” James waved his own wand to replicate the Hot-Air charm to dry out his own clothes. “If we work together, we should have the study cleaned up in no time.”

Albus grumbled, knowing he was outmatched. “Fine. I’ll grab one of those cleaning books from the guest room.”

While he and Lily ran upstairs for their wands, Melanie and James dried off as much of the study as they could. Wearing dry clothes helped her feel better, but she was still dismayed by the magnitude of the mess.

“How much time do we have before noon?” she asked.

James checked his watch. “It’s a little past eleven, so we have about an hour.”

“If you’d tested your machine properly, we wouldn’t be cleaning up your mess in the first place.”

“Okay okay, I get it. How about I owe you all five Mars Bars for helping me clean?”

“Five for cleaning, and another five for our silence about what you did.”

James sighed in defeat. “Fine. I can’t really argue about that.”

Lily and Albus returned, wearing fresh clothes and carrying their wands. Albus held a light-blue book titled The Magical Art to a Tidy Home, featuring a smiling witch holding a magical duster on the cover.

“No one in our family is good at cleaning spells.” Albus explained as he flipped to the glossary. The moving pictures demonstrating each spell looked especially helpful. “Mum and Dad use this book a lot. It should have everything we need.”

“We should all learn one spell, see how much we can clean up from that, and go from there.” Melanie recommended.

Everyone nodded in agreement. “I’m pretty good at the Mending Charm. “Lots of practice fixing up my own messes.” James supplied. He turned to the broken desk lamp and waved his wand roughly in a clock-wise triangle. “ _Reparo_.”

The effect was instantaneous: the broken lamp quickly mended itself and floated back to the correct position on the desk. The lamp appeared remarkably pristine, a stark contrast to the rest of the study. James sighed as he moved onto the next target, a bookshelf missing several books.

Albus pointed to a spell in the book. “This charm is specifically used for getting rid of damage caused by fires. That’ll probably work on the scorch marks left by the whiz-bangs.” He smiled at Melanie. “By the way, your face and clothes are completely covered in ink.”

Melanie wiped her face aggressively, but she only smeared the ink even more. She was glad that the black ink hid her blush. 

“Uh, it’s not just you that’s covered in ink.” Lily opened the top desk drawer, which was dripping with black ink. “I think it got into everything in the desk.”

That gave Melanie an idea. “Al, are there any spells in that book for removing ink?”

Albus quickly flipped through the glossary. “What about this one?” He held the book out towards Melanie, displaying a moving picture showing a wand removing grease from a napkin.

“‘The Wipe-Off Charm is a cleaning spell that siphons liquids from objects’.” Melanie read out loud. “‘Effective on most household stains, though products such as Zonko’s permanent dye require a more heavy duty spell’.”

Lily laughed. “Ooo, that stuff is nasty. Remember when I dyed all of James’s clothes hot pink? He did not take that well.”

Melanie continued reading the instructions for the Wipe-Off Charm, then started practicing the wrist movement displayed in the moving picture.

“ _Tergeo_!” she said, pointing the wand at her stained clothes.

Instead of removing the ink spots, her wand released a spray of ink all over her clothes. Melanie frantically waved her wand to stop the charm while the other kids laughed at her mistake. After glowering at them for a second, she broke and joined in the laughter.

“Should’ve seen that coming.” she snorted. The Charms Professor at Hogwarts preached that good wizards and witches always messed up the first time but kept working to get it right. She practiced the wrist movement several more times, then attempted the spell again. This time her wand got rid of most of the ink on her shirt, sucking it all up like a vacuum. With a little more effort, she managed to remove all of the ink from her clothes and her face.

Lily pounced at Albus, trying to take the book away from him. “My turn! What spell can I use?”

Albus looked apologetic. “I’m sorry Lily, but most of these spells are too advanced for a second-year. Plus, the only other thing we really need to do is to remove all of the Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes items from the room.”

“Excuse me? Why am I the one stuck doing non-magical clean-up?”

“If you can think of another way to get rid of all of this junk with magic, you’re more than welcome to try it.”

Lily grumbled to herself and began picking up the decoy detonators from the floor. Melanie felt a twinge of sympathy—it was hard watching everyone else perform complex magic that was beyond your own skill level. Plenty of upperclassmen, regardless of their Hogwarts house, loved flaunting their skills in front of younger students just because they could, which irked Melanie’s competitive nature. She was certain Lily felt exactly the same way. 

“Woah! Watch out!”

Melanie ducked on instinct, narrowly missing the whiz-bang coming from James’s direction. It hit the opposing wall, breaking the picture frames that he’d just repaired, before fizzling out into thin air. 

“Sorry, rogue whiz-bang.” James explained, going over to the picture wall to hastily repair the photos again. As he hung them back up, Melanie joined him to take a closer look at what she suspected were family photos. Each photo depicted the Potter kids in various stages of their life.

She spotted a photo of Albus in the middle. He was an adorably chubby baby , held by his Mum while staring at the camera. Even back then, the resemblance to his Dad was uncanny.

Lily slid next to Melanie’s right side. “Baby Albus photos are the best! Wasn’t he such a fat baby?”

Melanie continued looking at the family photos. There was a big one in the center featuring a bunch of red-haired people waving at the camera, probably taken at a Weasley family reunion of some sort. She could barely make out the individual faces from the mass of 50+ people, but she managed to spot a younger Albus and James fighting over who got to hold baby Lily.

“That’s everyone on Mum’s side of the family.” Albus confirmed, joining them at Melanie’s left side. “There aren’t many photos of all of us together, it’s nearly impossible to get that many people to stand still for long enough.”

Lily pouted. “Aw, why am I a baby in this photo? I wish we had a more up-to-date Weasley photo.”

“Oi!” James yelled over to them as he repaired a crack in the wall. “Am I the only one working here?”

“It’s your mess we’re cleaning up.” Lily grumbled, but they all got back to cleaning the study, working in silence for the next few minutes. After cleaning up the residual ink from herself, Melanie decided to make the desk her next target. Unfortunately the ink had seeped into the drawers, staining all of the contents in midnight-black. Groaning at the task ahead of her, Melanie opened the top drawer and started using the Wipe-Off Charm as quickly as she dared without messing it up.

Lily arrived back to the study in a huff, having dropped off the last parts of James’s failed machine into his room. “James, I’m expecting something good out of all of this labor. I could’ve been reading all morning instead!”

“No offense Lily, but how much of the morning would you have actually been awake for?” Albus teased. He clammed up when Lily shot him a withering look.

James sighed. “Fine. I already told Melanie I’d give you all 10 Mars Bars for helping me clean up and for you to stay quiet about this.”

Lily crossed her arms. “If you want my silence, you need to offer more. After all, you set this up to dump water on me! I want immunity from your pranks for a month.”

“A month? That’s practically half the summer! How about one week, and I give you all the Mars Bars right now.”

“Two weeks, and that’s my final offer.”

James conceded defeat once again. “Alright. I’m pretty much done repairing things, do you want to help me grab the Mars Bars?”

They both set off to retrieve the Mars Bars, leaving Albus and Melanie alone in the study. Albus struggled to get his spell to work on a particularly stubborn scorch mark: instead of disappearing, the mark kept changing different colors and was currently stuck on hot-pink. “Why can’t I get this spell to work?” he muttered in frustration.

Melanie wiped her brow, feeling slightly exhausted from meticulously cleaning up so much ink. She moved onto the next drawer, full of soaked files. “What a weird way to spend my morning. I hope I don’t get expelled for this.”

“If they were going to expel us, we should’ve received some kind of warning by now.” Albus said, turning the scorch mark into an unappealing shade of green. “When Dad broke the underage rule, he said that the Ministry immediately sent him letters to reprimand him.”

“That seems kind of unfair, doesn’t it?” Melanie pointed out. “I can’t use magic in any of my foster homes, but you and your siblings can get away with it no problem.”

“I think the idea was that wizarding parents would be responsible for disciplining the household, but I’m sure that hardly happens.”

Albus paused his explanation to try the scorch-removing charm again, but he only succeeded in changing the hot-pink to vivid polka-dot pattern. He scratched his head in confusion. “I must be doing something wrong. Mel, can you hand me the cleaning book?”

The self-help book sat several feet away from Melanie, inconveniently out of arm’s reach. As she decided whether or not to make the effort to stand up, she noticed Selwyn chasing her own tail nearby. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to show off a little.

“Selwyn!” Melanie yelled, grabbing her firedrake’s attention. She pointed to the book. “Can you bring that book to me?”

Without hesitating, Selwyn pounced towards the book and grabbed it by her claws. She flapped her wings until she was a foot off the ground, then flew the book to Melanie and dropped it right into her lap before landing on top of her head.

Albus gaped at Selwyn in amazement. “Did she just—fetch that for you?”

Melanie tossed the book over to her friend, smiling smugly. Two nights ago, she’d discovered that Selwyn enjoyed fetching things, like an overeager puppy. So far, Selwyn had a 50/50 success rate of grabbing the right object.

“I wish I had a firedrake who listened to me.” Albus gushed. “Sure I have Pip, but ferrets never listen to their owners.”

“To be fair, he’s quite good at grabbing things” Melanie pointed out. Like all magical ferrets, Pip was an expert at stealing items from other people and hiding them in random places. Though come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Pip at all during her two and a half weeks at the cottage.

“He’s with the Scamanders.” Albus answered her unspoken question. “Got a nasty case of the ferret flu. Aunt Luna and Uncle Rolf have been looking after him.”

“What’s the ferret flu?”

Before Albus could respond, James and Lily crashed back into the study with armfuls of Mars bars. “Al, Melanie, these are for you.” James said as he handed them ten bars each.

“You know, you didn’t need to bribe me with chocolate to buy my silence.” Albus said as he received the bars. “But I appreciate it all the same.”

“It’s also a thank-you for helping me clean up. Come on, I’m not that heartless.”

Lily was already munching on a Mars bar. “How much longer until Dad gets home?”

James checked his watch again. “About a half hour. We’re making good time. As long as we get the scorch marks and the ink stains out beforehand, we should be in the clear.”

“Easy for you to say.” Albus sighed as he pored over the book again. “The smaller scorch marks were easier to remove, but this one is giving me trouble.” He attempted the spell again, slightly adjusting his wrist motion. This time the scorch mark reduced in size, though the gaudy polka-dot pattern remained.

Lily grabbed a embroidered pillow from the wooden armchair. “Here, use this to cover it up!”

“We can’t leave a polka-dot spot in the study!”

James offered to remove the stubborn polka-dot mark. Albus conceded and moved on, too stressed to argue with his brother. Thankfully, the other signs of fire damage around the room were easier to remove, greatly helping the study appear normal again.

“Then all we have to worry about is the ink!” Lily exclaimed happily. “How’s the desk cleaning going, Melanie—hey, are you okay?”

Melanie didn’t hear Lily’s question. She was gripping the file she had just cleaned, the last one in the drawers. It was identical to all of the other files, save for the handwritten label on the tab. The scrawl undoubtedly read a name she recognized: Selwyn.

“Mel, is everything okay?” Albus asked as he peered over his shoulder. His brow furrowed as he read the label.

Lily and James also crowded around the desk. “Hey, that’s your firedrake’s name!” Lily observed. “What a coincidence.”

Melanie realized that she hadn’t told either of Albus’s siblings about the background to her firedrake’s name. “Um, Selwyn is also my middle name.”

Both James and Lily goggled at her. “What! You never told us you had a middle name!”

Albus started pacing as he thought outloud. “It’s probably just a coincidence. Dad brought these files from work, I’m sure there’s plenty of cases with similar names.”

Melanie’s stomach filled with inexplicable dread. “These are Auror case files?”

“No—I mean, yes—but we shouldn’t even be looking at these. They’re confidential files form the Ministry.”

“But what if this is related to Melanie somehow?” James asked. “I’ve never heard of anyone else named Selwyn before. Maybe it could give us a clue to her family!”

His words hung in the air, voicing the hope Melanie was too afraid to admit. Could it really be a simple coincidence, like Albus said? Or was there a deeper connection?

There was only one way to find out. Her hand moved almost automatically to open the file. Everyone held their breath as the contents revealed—a stack of blank documents.

“That was anticlimactic.” James joked, relieving some of the tension in the air.

“Wait, take a closer look at the first page.” Albus pointed to the lower right-hand corner of the document. There was a purple seal smaller than the size of a muggle coin, with a big “M” enclosed in a circle.

James gasped. “That’s the Ministry’s seal! I bet there’s a security charm on these pages.”

Lily whipped out his wand and placed the tip on the documents. “What are we waiting for? _Aparecium_!”

She tapped his wand three times, but nothing happened. The page stayed just as blank as before.

“What are you doing?” Albus hissed. “You can’t go snooping around Ministry documents!”

“That’s probably not a strong enough spell.” Melanie said, ignoring Albus’s concern. She aimed her own wand at the documents and moved her wand in the shape of an uppercase R. “ _Revelio_.”

Everyone stared at the documents, trying to will words to appear, but nothing appeared on the pages. 

“I bet the Ministry uses a stronger charm for security. Probably something even more advanced than N.E.W.T. level.” James deduced. 

“All the more reason why we shouldn’t be doing this!” Albus insisted. “They have punishments for tampering with classified Ministry intel.”

Melanie glanced at the other recently-cleaned files sitting in the desk drawer. She couldn’t make sense of the whole situation. “Why are all of these other files here? If the Ministry was so concerned with confidentiality, taking these files outside of the offices would be a breach of security.”

No one had an answer for that. “Sometimes when Dad has a particularly difficult case, he’ll have to work through the evening.” James said. “So the department allows him to take cases home.”

“So these are the difficult cases?” Melanie asked. “The unsolved ones?”

Albus looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here. “Probably. Which is why Dad always told us to not go through his desk. Come on, let’s just finish cleaning up the study before he suspects anything.”

“Before who suspects what?” asked Harry, who walked into the study unannounced.

Everyone reacted at once, trying their best to appear normal and innocuous. Albus backed away from the desk, and Lily threw the embroidered pillow over the polka-dot burn mark. Melanie quickly shoved the file back into the desk drawer before slamming it shut and turning to face Harry. 

“Dad!” James explained a little too loudly. He attempted to lean casually against the desk. “You’re back home early!”

Harry frowned as he removed his Auror robes. “I left a note on the dining table saying I’d be back home early to get ready.”

All of the kids glanced at each other in confusion. None of them knew what Harry was talking about.

“Get ready for what?” Lily prompted, hastily wiping the chocolate from her face.

Instead of answering her question, Harry took a good look around the study. Melanie could only imagine how the scene looked to him: through the room was cleaned up, all of them looked pretty suspicious. She and Lily were still in their PJs, Albus kept avoiding eye contact, and James still had soot in his hair. Plus, there was a giant pile of Mars Bars on the desk.

“Why does it smell burnt in here?” Harry finally asked.

Merlin’s beard. In their haste to put the study’s appearance back to normal, none of them thought about covering up the lingering scent of firework powder. She, Albus, and Lily all turned their heads towards James.

“It’s because of Selwyn!” James blurted. He pointed to the firedrake, who was peacefully sleeping on Melanie’s head. “She accidentally caught something on fire.” 

Alarm grew in Harry’s eyes. “Are you all okay?”

“No no, we’re all fine.” James said nervously. “We—I mean, I got carried away trying to play with Selwyn, and she got scared and accidentally caught my napkin on fire. I asked everyone else to help me air out the cottage to get rid of the smell.”

The other kids hastily. They all watched patiently as Harry considered their story, waiting to see if he would call them out. 

To everyone’s relief, Harry broke into an easy grin. “You can clean up the rest of the study later. Mum will be home soon, so we should all get changed and be ready to leave by the time she’s here.”

“Leave for what?” Lily asked again, more impatiently.

“Did you all forget? It’s Hugo’s birthday today. We need to be in the car by noon if we’re going to make it to the Granger’s on time.”

“Ohh!” The Potter kids chorused, but Melanie was still left in the dark. Who was Hugo? She quickly went through the list of Potter-Weasley relations. Albus’s cousin Rose had a younger brother name Hugo, but she was pretty certain that his last name was Granger-Weasley, not just Granger. And why were they traveling by car? Couldn’t they use the Floo Network or other magical means?

All of the kids shuffled out of the room. Once they were upstairs, Melanie cornered Albus before he went into his own room. “What’s going on?”

“Oh sorry, I didn’t explain before. You know Hugo, my younger cousin? We’re going to his birthday party.”

“But why are we driving there? Your Dad mentioned we’re going to the Granger’s, but that’s not his last name?”

Albus rubbed his neck. “Dad was talking about his grandparents, or Aunt Hermione’s parents. They like holding big parties, especially for their grandkids.”

Melanie’s mind clicked. “But your aunt is muggleborn, so her parents are—”

“That’s right. We’re going to a muggle party, and all of the Weasley cousins will be there.” Albus grinned. “In other words, it’s going to be an even bigger mess than this morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie attends Hugo's birthday party. There are plenty of surprises, some good and some bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one! I kept adding parts and couldn't bear to remove any of them. It does get a little angsty at the end, you've been warned.

Running behind schedule as usual, Melanie and the Potter family finally piled into the car to drive down to Foxbrook, a small town near West Mirilley where the Granger’s lived. It was a short drive, not nearly long enough for Melanie to study the Weasley family chart Albus had given her.

“I still can’t believe you have so many cousins.” she complained, rereading the names for the umpteenth time. “How do you keep track of them all?”

“It’s much easier when you’ve met them.” James reassured her. He was comfortably lounging in the back seat with his legs stretched out in the magically expanded car. “It also helps to group them by individual families.”

He started ticking off cousins on his fingers. “You’ve got Victoire, Dominique, and Louis, the French cousins. Well, their mum is French, so I guess that makes them half French, and a quarter Veela! You know about Victoire already, she’s dating Teddy Lupin. We don’t really hang out with them much since they’re a lot older than us.”

“Also, Louis is an ass.” Lily added.

“Language!” Harry yelled from the driver’s seat, not taking his eyes off the road. Ginny pretended not to notice anything.

“Then there’s Molly and Lucy.” James continued. “Uncle Percy’s really strict, so naturally they’re both the exact opposite. Molly does all of this contemporary art stuff that I don’t understand, and Lucy is frankly terrifying.”

Albus rolled his eyes. “If you actually take the time to learn Molly’s process, her art is really cool. And you only think Lucy’s scary because she wears all black and doesn’t put up with your jokes.”

“What kind of normal person doesn’t have a sense of humor?”

“Freddie and Roxanne are cool.” Albus chimed in. “They’re Uncle George’s kids. Freddie’s an expert at building, he’s got all kinds of inventions. Roxanne is the other Quidditch player in our generation, plus she talks more than anyone I’ve ever met, including James.”

“And that’s not an easy feat!” James agreed.

Lily pointed to the last two cousins on the chart. “And you already know Rose and Hugo. We’re the closest to them because we’re the same age, plus our parents are all best friends. Though Rose can be a little annoying sometimes.”

Melanie knew plenty about Rose Granger-Weasley, the cousin Albus was closest to. She was undeniably smart, but her competitive nature made it hard for those in the same class to like her. In another lifetime, she might’ve made a good Slytherin.

“Don’t worry too much about impressing the cousins.” Albus said encouragingly. “Just stick with us and you’ll be fine. Personally I let James and Lily do most of the talking.”

“Plus, your outfit is so cute!” Lily complimented Melanie. 

Melanie wasn’t sure how to respond. Her black denim pinafore was a hand-me-down from a previous foster home, but it was the nicest thing she owned, plus it was easy to pair with a white t-shirt and black sneakers. 

She felt her face grow warm when she noticed Albus smiling at her. “You do look nice. You’re definitely the best dressed out of all of us.”

There was no way that was true. Albus wore a green button up t-shirt that was exactly the color of his eyes, light blue shorts, and white sneakers. It was a basic ensemble that she would’ve made fun of other guys for wearing, but somehow the clothes worked on Albus. Not that she’d ever admit that out loud.

“And we’re going to a muggle party, so you should feel right at home.” James added. “As far as I know, the Granger’s throw quintessential muggle barbecues.”

Melanie frowned in confusion. “Can you explain again why the Granger are hosting Hugo’s party?”

Harry responded from the front seat. “Ron and Hermione—er, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione—wanted to make sure Hermione’s muggle parents were still involved in their grandchildren’s lives. One of their traditions is for the Grangers to host Rose’s and Hugo’s birthday parties. That way Rose and Hugo can invite their muggle friends too.”

“Both of them went to muggle primary school.” Albus answered, guessing Melanie’s follow-up question. “They’ve both kept in touch with those friends, and they get together during the summer.”

Hearing about the Granger-Weasleys merging the muggle and wizarding worlds was utterly new to Melanie. She was so used to viewing them as separate parts of her life, namely her past (as a muggle) and her future (as a witch). Plenty of her classmates had a muggle parent and a magical parent, but none of their families blended those two worlds as much as the Weasley-Grangers.

“I’m sure you’ll fit in at the muggle party no problem.” Lily said, repeating her brother’s words.

Melanie smirked. “You’re assuming I’ve been to a lot of muggle parties.”

“But at least you know how to use muggle things! Al, James, remember when we tried to get bubble tea?” Lily shuddered at the recollection. “That was so embarrassing. Dad thought we were supposed to peel the plastic off the top of the cup.”

Albus and James murmured in agreement. Ginny turned towards the back seat, having overheard their conversation. “You may have to show us the ropes, Melanie. We usually rely on my husbands for tips on muggle culture, but his info is outdated.”

“Hey now,” Harry protested, “ever since the internet became a big thing, I’ve struggled to keep up. Why do I have to be the expert on muggle culture?”

“But _my_ dad had to tell you what an iPod was!” Ginny laughed. “And you grew up in the muggle world!”

Melanie chuckled. “You both know that iPods were around like 10 years ago? No one uses them anymore.”

Harry groaned. “See what I mean? I learned about iPods just last week! Muggle culture moves too fast!”

The Potter kids snickered as Harry continued to grill Melanie about other muggle products. “How about the Playstation? That’s still around, right? My cousin had one of those while I was growing up, until he threw it out the window.”

“Most people have PS4s, or the Xbox, or the Switch—”

“What in Merlin’s beard is an Xbox and a Switch?”

Everyone in the car burst out laughing. Poor Harry Potter had a mini-breakdown about muggle pop-culture. “When did I get so old? Am I that out of touch?”

“You were too busy saving the wizarding world.” Ginny teased, giving her husband a quick peck on the cheek.

Lily shielded her eyes. “Ew, stop being gross!”

Albus also wrinkled his nose, but Melanie was more surprised than anything. Out of all the foster parents she’d lived with, she had never seen any of them be affectionate with each other. Seeing Harry and Ginny still clearly in love was a little disorienting.

Meanwhile, James had stuck his head out the window. “Hey, I think we’re here!”

Everyone in the back seat scrambled to get a good look out the window. A large number of vehicles sat along the neighborhood street, though several of them were very poorly parked.

Albus pointed out the crooked cars to Melanie. “I think all of those belong to Weasley relatives. Never trust a wizard to park a Muggle car.”

As if to prove Albus’s point, Harry attempted to parallel park between two cars, only to get stuck at a sharp angle. He eventually got the car straight, albeit several inches from the curb.

“A word of advice for you.” Harry told Melanie as he turned off the ignition. “Get your license as soon as you can and take actual lessons from a muggle. It will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.”

He meant well, but Melanie shifted uncomfortably. “It’s hard for foster kids to get driver’s licenses. There’s a lot more paperwork involved, not to mention the hoops for insurance.”

Harry looked as if he’d just swallowed a frog. “Oh—I shouldn’t have assumed—I spoke without thinking—”

“It’s okay.” Melanie cut him off. She hadn’t meant to make him feel bad; he simply hadn’t known.

Thankfully, James was a natural at diffusing awkward silence. “Is it just me, or are the Granger’s hosting a huge party?”

All of the houses on the street were exactly the same (beige paint, well-groomed lawns, three-car garages), save for the single yard full of orange balloons and colorful pop-up signs with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY” plastered everywhere.

“Yup, that’s them.” Harry laughed. “The Grangers go all out on decorations.”

As they all walked up to the Grangers house, Melanie muddled through a strange mix of feelings. The suburban neighborhood felt both normal and unsettling—she’d spent most of her life in similar areas, since that’s where most of the foster families preferred to live. She did have some positive memories, but they were all caught up in the general anxieties and loneliness surrounding most of her childhood. 

Albus nudged Melanie’s shoulder. “You good?”

She blinked, then gave Albus a brave smile. “All good here, thanks.”

“Harry! Ginny!” An older woman greeted them at the doorway, her face nothing but smiles. “It’s been too long!”

“Hi Mary,” Ginny said as Mrs. Granger pulled her and Harry into a tight hug.

“Oh, Hermione and Ron will be so happy to see you both! They’ve been so busy helping me prepare for this you see, my daughter had to make sure we got all the paperwork delivered to the Ministry, so all you magical folk could interact with us without any problems.” Mrs. Granger said in one breath, finally releasing her hug. She quickly turned to the kids. “Oh my goodness, you’re all so much taller!”

Before any of the Potter kids could react, they were all caught in another giant hug. Melanie stood behind and took the time to properly observe Mrs. Granger. She wasn’t tall, only a inch taller than Melanie, but positivity radiated off her small frame. Her gray hair was wrapped in a messy bun, and she wore a pair of spectacles typically associated with librarians. She wore a sensible floral dress, exactly the fashion for a muggle grandma.

“Mary, this is Albus’s friend, Melanie Sullivan.” Harry introduced, bringing Melanie forward against her will. “She’s staying with our family this summer. And don’t worry, she grew up among muggles.”

Mrs. Granger was positively delighted. “Thank goodness! I won’t have to keep an eye on you then. I love the magical relations, but some of them are just so odd. Even after ten years they manage to surprise me with new quirks. And they’re all so awkward around muggles, like fish out of water.” She smiled sweetly at Harry and Ginny. “Not the Potter family of course, my friend Rosaline was just telling me the other day how much she enjoys your company—”

She rambled on as she herded everyone to the backyard, where the party was set up. Simply put, it was a typical muggle barbecue with a crazy amount of birthday decorations. The lawn was littered with activity: kids playing lawn games like croquet and frisbee, adults preparing food and socializing, and teens milling around everywhere else. It was far more people than Melanie had anticipated; even the entire Weasley clan only made up a third of the party crowd.

“Told you the Grangers like to hold big parties.” Albus said. “They invite all of their muggle friends too.”

“James! Albus! Lily!” a loud voice screamed in excitement. Roxanne Weasley waved at them from one of the picnic tables covered in orange decorations. She took after her mother in appearance, having dark skin and brown coily hair.

“Hi Roxie.” Lily greeted her cousin as the kids stepped away from the adults. Noticing Lily eyeing her food, Roxanne passed around her plate of crisps for everyone to share.

Another cousin sat next to her, a true ginger with pale skin and a face full of freckles. She extended her paint covered hand out to Melanie. “You must be Albus’s friend—Melanie, right? I recognize you from the Quidditch matches. I’m Molly.”

Roxanne grabbed Melanie’s hand in excitement. “And I’m Roxanne! But most people call me Roxie.” She took her now empty plate away from Lily. “If you want more chips, grab them from inside.”

Lily followed Roxie’s advice and made a beeline for the food, while James wandered off to the group of Weasley cousins playing a lawn game. Albus and Melanie decided to sit down next to Molly and Roxie.

“Why aren’t you hanging out with the other cousins?” Albus asked.

“Molly and I had some gossip to catch up on.” Roxie explained. “Plus, they’re all making a fool out of themselves trying to play Muggle games.”

She pointed to the beanbag toss, where Freddie, Louis, and James were throwing bean bags at each other with no rhyme or reason. Several surrounding adults chuckled at them in amusement.

Melanie bit back her laughter. “Um, should I show them how to actually play the game?”

Molly shook her head. “No way, this is more fun for us. They all need their egos deflated.”

“But why are we talking about them?” Roxie leaned across the table to get closer to Melanie. “I’ve been dying to meet you ever since you’ve been staying with the Potters! Which, mind you, Albus never told us about. I had to hear about it from Amelia Thomas!”

She gave Albus the side eye. “I then tried to find out more about you, but no one else knew anything about you, and I know everyone at Hogwarts!”

Molly gave Melanie an apologetic glance. “She’s just upset that you somehow managed to escape her gossip wheel. Don’t feel pressured to share anything.”

Roxie harrumphed. “Someone’s got to make the proper introductions, Molly! I don’t trust our male cousins (except you, Albus), Victoire and Dominique are too aloof, your sister intimidates everyone , and Rose is too book smart for her own good.”

“It’s okay.” Melanie assured Molly. “I already have to put up with James on a daily basis, it can’t get worse than that.”

Everyone at the table laughed. “If you can get along with James, then you deserve a sainthood.” Roxie praised. “I can’t count how many times I wanted to strangle him for getting us all into trouble. Though, I remember Albus also causing all kinds of trouble when he was younger; you Potters were sure a handful back then.”

This piqued Melanie’s interest. “What kind of trouble?”

Molly nudged Albus in the stomach. “I like her. Please invite her to more family gatherings.”

Roxie clapped her hands in delight. “Ooo, I have a great story about Albus when he was four years old. Have you ever heard about the bubble incident?”

“Noooooo.” Albus groaned into his hands. “Why would you bring that up?”

Roxie launched into the story, describing how young Albus accidentally turned Uncle Percy’s hair into bubbles, essentially leaving him bald when the bubbles popped. She was an excellent storyteller, embellishing all of the important details and supplying hilarious descriptions of angry Percy chasing after terrified Albus. Melanie laughed so hard her stomach ached, while Albus grew red as a tomato.

“I was four!” he defended as everyone else was wiping their tears of laughter. “Uncle Percy was so mad, I thought I was going to die that day.”

“Oh, I’ve got more where that came from.” Roxie grinned, clearly on a roll. “There’s also the time you forgot to pack your swim trunks to the beach—”

“Are you two just going to sit there and not eat?” Lily rejoined the table, balancing three heaping plates of food divided by snacks, meat, and desserts. “You have to try the ribs, Mr. Granger is really good at grilling!”

Roxie stared at Lily’s plates in mild horror. “You’re not seriously going to eat all of that?”

Melanie’s stomach grumbled at the sight of all the food. Thanks to James’s morning fiasco, she hadn’t eaten anything all day. “Where did you find the food?”

“They have it all set up inside the kitchen.” Lily casually pointed towards the porch. “Hugo’s inside too, so you can wish him a happy birthday. He’s playing some racing video game with his muggle friends.”

Saying goodbye to Roxie and Molly for now, Melanie and Albus went to grab lunch. “I like those cousins.” she told Albus as they walked through the sliding door. “They seem nice.”

“They’re definitely the easiest cousins to get along with.” Albus agreed. “Roxie’s good with everyone, and Molly’s sense of humor is similar to yours. It’ll be weird not seeing either of them at school next year, they both just finished up their N.E.W.T.s.”

They walked into the Granger’s kitchen, where all of the food was laid out around the room. The smell was incredible; Melanie’s mouth watered at the sight of all the English barbecue staples, displayed on countless ceramic dishes.

Alas, she couldn’t dig in quite yet. Albus decided that they should wish Hugo a Happy Birthday first, so she followed him into the living room.

As she expected, the living room was just as nice as the kitchen, with lush carpeting and expensive vintage furniture. A huge TV dominated one wall of the room, and three teenage boys hovered around it on the couch, each holding a Wii remote.

“Hi, Albus!” A boy with a crazy mop of ginger hair bounded from the couch. “Oh, and hi Melanie!”

Albus did a quick secret handshake with his younger cousin. “Happy birthday Hugo! My gift is included with my parents, I think you’ll like it.”

Hugo flashed a grin in gratitude. “Thanks! Do you want to play a round of Mario Kart with me and my friends?”

“Mario—what?”

Melanie turned to Albus. “You don’t know what Mario Kart is? I thought your dad had taught you better.”

Hugo whipped around to Melanie. “Wait, _you_ know how to play Mario Kart? Do you want to play for one race? It’s way more fun with four people.”

He then flashed brown puppy eyes at Melanie. It wasn’t necessary, as she was always down for a game of Mario Kart. In fact, she was rather good at the game, and her competitive nature wouldn’t let her back down from a challenge.

“Sure, why not?” she agreed, sitting down on the couch arm.

“Woohoo!” Hugo handed Melanie the spare Wii remote. “Just choose your character and we’ll race!”

She used the buttons to choose her character (Bowser Jr., who else?) and her bike. While Albus barraged Hugo with questions about Mario Kart, she glanced over at the other two muggle teens, both of them around Hugo’s age. One of them looked vaguely familiar, though she couldn’t place why.

“Just so you know, we’re pretty good at this game.” The boy warned Melanie.

She smiled. “Good. Then I won’t go easy on you.”

The other boy hooted at Melanie’s response. “Oh snap! She knows what’s up!”

Melanie laughed, feeling relaxed for the first time since arriving at the Granger’s. She’d been so focused on impressing the Weasleys, she’d forgotten that she was at a fun birthday party, with all of the best muggle activities.

The game went through the countdown animation, and the race began. Melanie zeroed in on the screen, blocking out everything else except for Bowser Jr. and the racetrack. She zipped around Piranha Plants and banana peels with no problem, all while mentally noting what everyone else was saying.

“No! Who sent that red shell?”

“Birdo, you’re going down! There’s no way I’m losing to you again.”

“Aw yeah, I got the star, let’s go!”

“How are you getting such good items? I’ve been stuck with banana peels!”

Albus rubbed his head, trying to decipher the boys’ outbursts. “Are we all speaking the same language?”

Two minutes later, Melanie whooped in victory as Bowser Jr. zoomed through the finish line. The boys weren’t far behind, taking the next three places after her.

Hugo dropped his Wii remote in exhaustion. He grinned at Melanie with no enmity on his face. “What a race! You’re really good at Mario Kart!”

Hugo’s friends mumbled in agreement. Melanie felt a sense of pride—it was always satisfying to beat overconfident teenage boys in video games.

“You wanna rematch?” One of them asked, not quite a gracious loser as Albus. “I’m sure I could beat you best out of three.”

Melanie’s impatient stomach answered for her, rumbling in hunger. She handed the Wii remote back to Hugo. “Ask me again after I’ve eaten.”

As she and Albus left the living room, she noticed him staring at her with a weird expression. “Al? What is it?”

He continued to stare at her—in awe, she realized. “Nothing, really.” he nudged his shoulder against hers. “You just keep surprising me, that’s all.”

Melanie responded by elbowing him in the stomach, causing him to laugh out loud.

She used the kitchen as an excuse to turn away from him, grabbing a paper plate and making a beeline for the opposite side of the room. While she filled up her plate, Albus started talking to another pair of Weasley cousins, who both quickly noticed her presence as well.

“Hi, Melanie.” Rose greeted her. It was hard to discern whether her tone was pleasant or not. Their last encounter had been during the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam, when Melanie had narrowly beaten Rose’s time on the obstacle course. She knew how Rose held grudges against anyone who did better than her on a test.

Another Weasley cousin stood at her side, though the two of them could not have looked more different. Rose was every bit the goody-two-shoes, wearing an outfit that reminded Melanie of muggle boarding school uniforms, whereas the other cousin wore an all-black grunge outfit, complete with a leather jacket and chains. There were streaks of blue and black in her auburn hair.

“Melanie, this is Lucy, Molly’s younger sister.” Albus introduced. Lucy gave Melanie an indifferent nod.

“Al, we need to talk about the latest book I read.” Rose gushed, moving to whisk Albus away. “Camelia Strix wrote a fascinating study on the evolution of thestrals—”

Before anyone could stop her, Rose dragged Albus away from the kitchen and continued her passionate speech on thestrals. Melanie was slightly grateful; she wasn’t in the mood to hear one of Rose’s academic lectures.

Though on the downside, she was left alone with Lucy, who she knew absolutely nothing about. Yet the leather jacket and colored streaks itched her mind, reminding her of a memory associated with the Slytherin Common Room, but why would a Weasley cousin hang out there?

“So, you’re Molly’s sister?” Melanie offered. 

Lucy could not have looked more bored. “Yeah. We’re the black sheep of the family. She’s the artsy one, I’m the musical one.”

Music? Another gear clicked in Melanie’s mind. “What instrument do you play?”

“A little of everything, but mostly drums.”

Bingo. The memory came back in full force: a red-headed drummer rocking out with her band, the crowds of Slytherins cheering in the common room during after-hours.

She lowered her voice, not wanting to be overheard. “You’re the drummer from the _Violet Grindylows_ , aren’t you?”

Lucy dropped her dessert plate onto the kitchen floor. “What did you say?”

It was totally her, how had Melanie not recognized it before? Lucy looked a little different without the stage make-up, but the colored streaks in her hair were undeniably the same as the talented drummer’s. 

“How do you know that?” Lucy hissed when Melanie didn’t answer. “Who told you?”

“No one told me anything. I’m in Slytherin, I saw you perform.”

Lucy’s face went ghastly pale. “Merlin, you’re Albus’s friend. Dang. I thought I’d made sure none of my cousins would find out.”

All of the pieces came together. It was a long-held secret that the Slytherin Common Room hosted underground rock concerts: the dungeons were an ideal location, and Slytherins had a good history of producing excellent musicians. Nearly all of the popular rock bands, including the Weird Sisters, had their start in the Slytherin concerts. Few people outside of Slytherin house (including all of the professors) knew about them, and everyone in Slytherin wanted to keep it that way.

On a rare occasion, a rock band from another house would perform, like the _Violet Grindylows_. They were an all-female Gryffindor group, and one of Melanie’s favorites. Despite not being Slytherins, the group was popular enough to perform a set every month.

“Have you told Al?” Lucy asked frantically, bringing Melanie back to the present.

Melanie shook her head. “I just figured out who you are right now. Besides, those concerts are a Slytherin secret.”

Lucy exhaled in relief. “Good. I don’t need anyone in my family finding out about my band.”

“I always thought you were a really good drummer.” Melanie added, feeling a bit like a fangirl. “In my opinion, Violet _Grindylows_ is one of the better bands.”

“Really?” Lucy blushed. The display of emotion clashed with her rocker vibe. “I mean, thanks. It’s cool you’ve heard us perform.”

They both stood in silence, unsure of what to say next. Melanie was still reeling at the unexpected discovery. Hugo’s love for muggle video games, Lucy’s hidden rock star identity—the Weasley clan was far more diverse than she’d ever given them credit for. 

Thankfully, a characteristically loud presence broke the tension. James burst into the kitchen and grabbed Melanie by the arm. “Melanie, she’s here! You have to help me!”

“Ow! You’re gripping too hard.” Melanie complained, yanking her arm away from James’s grip. “And back up. Who’s here, and why are you sweating?”

Instead of answering her, James dragged her out of the kitchen and brought her to the railing of the backyard porch. He pointed to the far corner of the Granger’s yard, where a small trio of muggle teens were playing croquet. “She’s here”. 

Melanie took a closer look at the croquet game. There wasn’t anything remarkable about the muggles—except for one girl that she instantly recognized. She wasn’t in her corner-shop uniform, but the glowing smile was unmistakable.

It took all of her willpower not to laugh out loud. What were the chances?

“She has a name, remember? Though I wouldn’t blame you for forgetting, you were quite flustered last time you saw her.” Melanie teased.

James groaned. “Melanie, what do I do? Devi’s here, at the same party as us!”

“You talk to her, you dolt! Ask if you can join the croquet game.”

Her suggestion only made James spiral even more. “But I don’t know how to play—what did you call it, crow-key? What if I look stupid and give myself away as a non-muggle?”

Melanie tried her best to put on a patient smile. “It’s an old-fashioned game, it won’t look out of place for a teenager to not know the rules. Plus, she has literally no reason to suspect that you’re a wizard, as long as you don’t pull out your wand in front of her or something.”

James’s voice went uncharacteristically quiet. “Can you help me, please? I don’t want to mess this up.”

Her resolve to not get involved softened at his vulnerability. As much as she wanted to see him fend for himself, the annoying feeling of empathy prevented her from being too cruel. Perhaps Albus’s kindness was a bad influence on her after all.

“What are you two doing?” Lily interrupted, joining them next to the porch railing. She was happily enjoying a heaping bowl of ice-cream. “And why is James sweating?”

Melanie came up with a plan on the spot.. “Lily, can you find me in five minutes and come up with an excuse to drag me away, no matter what I’m doing? You can say that Albus is looking for me or something.”

Lily grinned with a devilish expression. “Sure thing!”

She walked away to talk to one of her cousins. Melanie sighed, then threw James a withering glare. “Alright, Potter. You owe me big time.”

The two of them started walking down to the croquet game, though James lagged a few steps behind. “So your plan is to introduce me, and then leave me alone with the other muggles?” he protested. 

“No, my plan is to leave you alone with Devi.” Melanie corrected. “You’ll use your patented ‘Mr. Smooth’ charm, she’ll be smitten, and I won’t have to deal with this ever again. Everyone wins.”

James couldn’t respond, as they were now within earshot of the croquet game. The muggles teens were finishing up, as they were removing the wickets from the ground. Melanie’s stomach churned at the thought of initiating random conversation with strangers; it went against all of her social instincts. Why couldn’t James bring his extroverted self around muggles?

Taking a deep breath, Melanie approached Devi, who was closest to her. “Hi, excuse me?”

Devi paused her clean-up to look at the source of the new voice. She gave Melanie a friendly smile. “Hullo!”

“My friend and I noticed you all playing croquet.” Melanie said quickly before she could psych herself out. “Neither of us know the rules. Would you be willing to teach us how to play?”

Devi brightened at the suggestion. “Sure! I’m always down to play another round of croquet.” She turned to the other two teens. “Aditya, Navin, either of you want in?”

To Melanie’s immense relief, both of them declined the offer and left to get more food. This was precisely the outcome she’d hoped: convincing Devi to remain behind and getting rid of everyone else. 

“I’m Devi, by the way.” Devi introduced. She extended her hand out to them.

Melanie took the handshake first. “I’m Melanie.” she paused and glanced over at James, giving him the opportunity to introduce himself.

He also shook Devi’s hand. “Uh, I’m James.”

“Nice to meet you both.” Devi said warmly. “This will sound weird, but you both look familiar for some reason. Have we met before?”

James cleared his throat awkwardly. “Um, yes. I mean, I think so, maybe?”

For the second time in as many minutes, Melanie wanted to smack him in the head again. Why couldn’t he talk normally?

“You work at the corner shop in West Mirilley, right? We live nearby and sometimes go there.” She told Devi.

“That’s it! My family owns the shop. How do you two know Hugo?”

“He’s my cousin.” James jumped in, sounding a bit more confident and standing up straighter. “And we all go to the same school.”

Devi’s eyes widened. “You mean that fancy boarding school in Scotland? That’s so cool! I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to go to a school like that, I just go to the local secondary school.”

Melanie thought it was best to switch the topic away from their school. “How do you know Hugo?”

“Oh, my brother is really good friends with him, they went to the same primary school. They don’t see each other as much, but we’re always invited to Hugo’s birthday party.”

Melanie realized that one of the muggle boys playing Mario Kart shared a strong physical resemblance with Devi. She shook her head in wonder. What were the odds that James’s muggle crush had a connection with the Weasley family? It really was a small world.

Devi handed each of them a croquet mallet and a colored ball. “Usually we’d play with an even number of players, but we can bend the rules a little. We’ll put our balls at the starting stake—”

“Melanie!” Lily called out as she appeared in their line of sight. She still had a bowl of ice cream, though the scoops were now a different flavor. Her expression was too cheeky to be trusted. “Albus is looking for you. Something about him finally admitting his feelings for you?”

Melanie wanted to melt right on the spot. Thankfully Devi didn’t catch what Lily said, but James was barely keeping a straight face. She felt no more remorse for leaving him alone with Devi.

“I’d better go check this out, is it okay if I step out for the first round?” she asked Devi, already putting her mallet down.

“No worries!” Devi said cheerfully. “It’ll be a little easier to play with an even number anyway.”

Melanie left as quickly as possible and dragged Lily away with her. As soon as they were out of earshot, she turned to face the youngest Potter sibling, her face burning red. “What was that for?”

Lily cackled. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist! I promise I won’t do it again, but the look on your face was priceless!”

Melanie huffed in annoyance as they headed back to the porch. She spotted Albus talking to Roxie, Molly, and a male cousin she didn’t recognize. She started heading towards them before noticing the strained faces and raised voices.

“What’s happening over there?” Lily wondered out loud, also noticing the scene. They were several meters away, still out of their sight.

“Wait.” Melanie stopped Lily with her arm. “I want to find out what’s going on before we get closer.”

Lily understood her meaning. She pointed to a nearby cluster of bushes. “We can hide behind there and eavesdrop on them.”

They both moved quickly, ducking behind the bushes so that they were out of sight but within hearing range. Lily wrinkled her nose. “Hmm. I never liked Louis.”

Melanie peered through the leaves at the scene. Sure enough, Louis seemed to be stirring up trouble.

“Why are you even bringing this up?” Roxie asked Louis, crossing her arms. She, Molly, and Albus were standing to one side, all facing Louis. “It’s none of your business.”

Louis sighed in exasperation. He did not inherit the Weasley appearance, instead taking after his mother, with silvery-blonde hair and a pale complexion. Drawing himself up to his full height, he was at least a head taller than Albus.

“None of my business?” his voice was menacingly soft. “It’s all of our business if our younger cousin hangs out with the wrong crowd.”

“What does that mean, the ‘wrong’ crowd?”

Louis stared down Albus, who hadn’t spoken a word yet. “Alright, I’ll just say it. I don’t think you should’ve Slytherin girl to stay with your family this summer.”

A horrible sinking feeling went down Melanie’s stomach. She wanted to punch Louis in the face and curl up into a tiny ball at the same time.

“Her name is Melanie.” Molly interrupted, sounding annoyed at her cousin.

“Whatever. Her name doesn’t matter.” Louis waved Molly aside, facing Albus once again. “What were you thinking, Al? It’s one thing to be friends with one of them, but inviting her to your house—”

“One of _them_?” Roxie interrupted, clearly appalled. “Why are you making this into a Slytherin vs. Gryffindor thing?”

“I never said that. I’m not talking about the rivalry. This is about Albus’s safety.”

Melanie’s ears rang as she processed what was happening. She knew there were Gryffindors who hated Slytherins—she’d encountered plenty at Hogwarts—but Albus had always insisted his family was different. He defended the Weasleys whenever Melanie had ranted about how judgmental Gryffindors could be, and she’d believed him.

But he was wrong. His cousin was no different from the other established Gryffindor families who looked down on Slytherins, who destroyed Slytherin’s reputation while never addressing their own bigotry. In the end, it wouldn’t matter how much she tried to impress the Weasleys. 

“I’m not saying she’s a bad person.” Louis backtracked. “I’m just saying you have to be careful around her. She could have an ulterior motive in befriending you.”

Molly snorted. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why would a Slytherin befriend anyone from our family? You know how much crap some of those families give us. Have you forgotten when the Goyle siblings spread awful rumors about our parents? Or when Ellie Zabini tried to hex Roxie and I during potions?”

Roxie put her hands on her hips. “Come on, she did that because she was jealous of your perfect potion. It had nothing to do with our family heritage.”

“You don’t know that!” he snapped. Roxie and Molly winced, but Albus stood firm.

Melanie’s heart pounded at a dizzying rate.

“We should get one of the parents.” Lily whispered.

Melanie shook her head. “I’m staying here. You can go look for someone if you want.” Lily nodded, then quietly snuck off to find an adult.

“Clearly none of you are taking this seriously,” Louis continued bitterly, “so it’s up to me to look out for this family. That girl is a bad influence on you—”

“Shut up.”

Everyone froze as Albus spoke up for the first time. His voice was eerily calm; the intensity on his face belied the depths of his anger. He was furious, far more than Melanie had ever seen him.

Louis’s nostrils flared. “Did you just tell me to—”

“Shut. Up.” Albus repeated, stone cold. His fists were clenched tight. “Melanie is my best friend. You don’t have to like it, but it’s none of your concern who I decide to be friends with. I know that she would never judge someone based on their Hogwarts house, unlike you.” His body trembled in fury. “You have no right to say anything bad about her, so _shut up_.”

The two male cousins stared each other down, neither of them relenting. Roxie and Molly hesitated, unsure what to do. Melanie held her breath, waiting for what would happen next.

Louis sneered at Albus. “Figures. That filthy snake got her fangs deep in you.”

Everything happened all at once. One moment, Louis smirked at what he thought was a clever comment. The next moment Albus’s fist walloped him in the face, and he was flat on the ground. Molly and Roxie gasped in horror, but before either of them could react, Louis kicked Albus in the shin and knocked him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Melanie fell to her knees in a state of total shock. Did Albus, her sweet-natured, gentle best friend, just punch his own cousin?

The sound of her knees hitting the ground was faint, but it did not escape Albus’s notice. His eyes widening as he finally spotted how close Melanie was. “Mel—”

He didn’t finish his statement, as Molly helped him back on his feet. Roxanne stood between him and Louis, attempting to diffuse the situation. The scuffle had caught the attention of the surrounding muggles, who were already exchanging whispers and furtive looks.

“Are you bloody kidding me?” Louis shouted, drawing even more attention to himself. There was a trickle of blood running down his nostril. “You broke my nose!”

“Louis Arthur Weasely, what is going on?”

A silvery-blonde woman marched up to the group, clearly angry. From her graceful beauty and the slightest French accent in her voice, Melanie gathered that she was Fleur Weasley, Louis’s mum. Ginny Potter was right behind her, mirroring the same amount of indignation.

Uh oh. Fleur and Ginny could easily spot Melanie behind the bushes. She tried standing up to escape their notice, but her legs refused to move. She was stuck, very much caught in the act of eavesdropping.

However, neither of them had noticed her yet. Their attention was solely focused on their son’s scuffle. “Explain yourselves!” Fleur demanded again.

Louis was raging. “Al started the fight. He punched me in the face and broke my nose.”

“Only because you were being elitist against Slytherins!” Roxie protested angrily. 

A faint magical mist suddenly fell over the area, mildly cloaking the surroundings. The nearby muggles blinked in shock, then continued with their own activities, as if they were oblivious to the drama unfolding right in front of them.

Ginny put her wand back into her pocket. “We promised Hermione that we wouldn’t use magic, but I don’t think we want muggles overhearing this.” She gave a small smile to her sister-in-law. “She’s gonna be so mad. I won’t tell her if you don’t.”

Fleur returned the smile before gazing sternly at her son. “Is this true, what Roxanne is saying?”

“I wasn’t being elitist.” Louis said defensively. “I was expressing my valid concerns.”

Molly coughed into her fist. “Which are elitist and slimy.”

“Aunt Fleur, Aunt Ginny, we saw the whole thing.” Roxie pleaded with her aunts. “Louis said horrible things about Albus’s friend. Al asked him to stop, but he refused, and he called Melanie a—you know what, I can’t even say it. That’s how the fighting started.”

Ginny’s eyes flared with emotion, though Melanie was too distracted to notice. All she could think about was how this whole fight was all her fault. She’d been invited to Hugo’s party, and she’d ruined it. If she hadn’t been here, Albus wouldn’t have punched his cousin.

The two aunts shared a look and came to an unspoken agreement. “Louis, I think we need to have a long talk.” Fleur said, the disappointment strong in her accent.

“But mum—”

“ _Maintenant_.”

With no room for argument, Louis shot a final dirty look at Albus before trailing after his mum.

Ginny turned her attention to Albus, her face softening. “Roxie, Molly, can you find my husband and bring him here?”

The two cousins quickly ran off to find their uncle, leaving Albus alone with his mum. He turned his face away in shame, waiting for the disapproval. 

Yet, Ginny simply inspected his bruised hands before giving him a big smile. “I would’ve done the same thing.”

Albus froze. “You’re—you’re not mad?”

“Of course not.” Ginny replied, gently squeezing his hand. Albus sighed in relief as his mum continued to check for any other injuries.

Once satisfying herself that Albus was alright, Ginny’s gaze shifted over to the bushes where Melanie hid. Their eyes met. Melanie felt like a deer in the headlights, though the expression on Ginny’s face was far less intense than she’d expected.

“You saw all of this, didn’t you?” Ginny asked.

Unsure whether or not she’d be able to use her own voice, Melanie simply nodded.

Ginny sat in thought for several seconds. Melanie was itching to know what was going on in her mind. Albus’s mum was probably furious with her. Maybe she was deciding on the best form of punishment.

“Melanie,” Ginny asked slowly, “would you like to go home?”

For a split second, Melanie thought Ginny was sending her back to a muggle foster home, but that’s not what she meant. She was offering to take her out of this social gathering and rest at the Potter cottage, if she so wanted.

And she did want it. There was no way she could pretend to act normal, not after what she’d overheard. Getting a respite from everyone else’s concern, well-intentioned or not, sounded like a blessing. She gave Ginny another nod.

Roxie and Molly returned with Harry, who was breathing heavily. He quickly rushed over to Ginny and Albus. “I was wondering why someone had cast a concealment charm around here. Also, Fleur said she wanted to talk to me?”

“I’ll explain later.” Ginny laid her hand on Albus’s shoulder. “I’m going to take him and Melanie home first. Can you help lift the concealment charm? I probably shouldn’t do two spells back-to-back in front of muggles.”

Harry didn’t ask for more details. “Of course. But where’s Melanie?”

Ginny nodded her head towards the bushes. “Roxie, Molly, can you help out Melanie?”

The two cousins quickly went to Melanie’s side and helped her onto her feet. She slowly walked over to Ginny, feeling somewhat dazed.

“How are you planning on getting home?” Harry asked as he pulled out his wand. “I don’t think the Granger’s Floo Network is currently working.”

“That’s okay, we’ll just Apparate home.” Ginny decided. “We’re already concealed anyway.”

“Oh, no. What am I going to tell Hermione?”

Smiling, he gave Ginny a quick peck on the cheek, then waved his wand to start working on reversing the concealment charm properly.

“I can only side-apparate one at a time.” Ginny explained to Melanie, grabbing her son by the arm. “I’ll come back after I apparate Albus.”

Melanie nodded in understanding. The air around Ginny and Albus swirled like a vacuum, and they vanished in thin air with a faint pop. It was awkward for Melanie to wait for Ginny to return, though thankfully she reappeared in less than a minute.

“Have you ever side-apparated before?” Ginny asked as she held out her elbow. Melanie shook her head. 

“Whatever you do, don’t let go.” Ginny instructed.

Before Melanie could say or think anything else, the air around her faintly popped, and she and Ginny spun on the spot and apparated away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the Weasley cousin names are canon, but I made up their personalities and interests. There's always one bad egg in the family, and it ended up being Louis.
> 
> If you've stuck with the story for this long, thank you! I initially set out to make this a fun drabble, but it's slowly evolved into a full-fledged story. A main plot will eventually take over the story, but there's still plenty of fun scenes to add in.


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